Tanya's Quest
by ReaderRabid
Summary: A story about Tanya, from the Denali coven.  PostEclipse.  Tanya is trying to get over her crush on Edward and move on with her life.  Will she disrupt Edward and Bella's wedding or her family to do so?  Or will she find happiness?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** These characters and the world of Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer, not me. Sadly. I just write the story and add a few original characters here and there.

**A/N:** This is my first Twilight fanfic, so please be kind! I had started reading the**envy**lover's story about Marcus, and thought I would take her up on her challenge to write about secondary characters. I wanted to give some depth to Tanya, and try to show her as an entire character, not just a jealous b trying to win Edward.

**Chapter 1**

It was only lunchtime on Monday, and I was already convinced it would be a long week. I had been feeling out-of-sorts since yesterday, as if something upsetting was going to happen. I shouldn't be upset - this was my favorite time of year! It was late June, and I was working with my sisters in the visitor's center at the Denali National Park visitor's center.

The Denali Visitor's Center was a popular place for tourists (we help them decide on trails), locals (good food in the cafeteria), and the ecology-minded (we work towards having a "green" building). It's a great place for people-watching, which our major pastime right now. My sisters and I are the perfect employees, even if the Visitor's center doesn't know the half of it. We've been through the park more than anyone, and have seen (and hunted) much of the wildlife. I can help people plan their hikes without thinking about it most of the time, but there's always someone or something new, so it's fun for now. We also entertain the male hikers - they tend to be drawn right to us. It's a gift.

I dragged through my day until lunchtime with my sisters. I listened to Kate and Irina chat about the cute guys who were hiking that day, but I was distracted. I thought of Alice Cullen, and her visions. What I would give to have her here! I know I don't have her gift for visions of the future, rather I can feel an emotion prior to an event. It's usually not very helpful. Kate noticed I wasn't talking, and looked at me quizzically.

"Your thoughts are confusing, Tanya. What are you thinking about?" Kate asked.

"I've been feeling unsettled - like a weight is about to land on me. It started yesterday. I was just thinking about the Cullens, and how I wish Alice was here to give me a vision of why I'm so upset." I replied.

"Aaaah" Irina said, with a sly smile. "You were thinking of the Cullens, eh? And not just of Alice, I bet!"

If I had been human, I would have blushed. My sisters enjoyed teasing me far too much about my crush on Edward Cullen. "Well, my thoughts _might_ have strayed to Edward a bit, but really, I was thinking of Alice and her visions." I was wondering if that sounded defensive, but figured I could distract my sisters. At least I was telling the truth. Well, mostly.

I searched around the room, and sensed some strong emotions about to come from a booth across the cafeteria. Aha! Perfect distraction! "Oh, look!" I exclaimed, "That hockey goalie from the local High School you've liked, Kate - he's over there and his girlfriend is dumping him!" _Take that! Feeling emotions before they happen __**can**__ be useful! _I had always thought that the mind reading, visions, and emotion management that were the Cullens' gifts were more useful than mine. It did come in handy sometimes, though.

"What?!" Kate exclaimed, then tried to focus on the minds near the tall, dark, and handsome Tim and his blonde girlfriend Jennifer. Kate had been longing for Tim for months, and it wasn't like her to long for someone - usually she had a line of boys who wanted her. We all did. But after a thousand years of men hanging on our every word, we were all becoming more interested in the chase.

Irina looked over at Tim and Jennifer across the cafeteria. She was focusing her attention over there, too. _Phew!_ I thought, _Now I can worry in peace._

Irina had driven us to work in her Ford Escape Hybrid, so I climbed into the back seat of the car at the end of the day, still preoccupied. Kate and Irina are still chattering about Tim as we drive home, and I'm pretending to listen. I've found that if Kate is focused on one conversation, she doesn't usually "hear" the thoughts around her. She can focus her "hearing" very well, but she usually doesn't "listen" if she's in the middle of a conversation she finds interesting.

I feel mopey as I walk back to the house. We have been in Denali for a while. While it's a pretty area, I'm beginning to tire of it. Unfortunately, no one else in the coven shares that feeling. I'm growing tired of the tedium of working and living someplace with so much snow. Even my job, which I have always loved, is becoming tiresome. While we don't need the money, I like to interact with people. It's a lot easier to find men if you are actually mixing with humans! There hadn't been anyone I was attracted to in a while, other than my unrequited crush on Edward Cullen, that is.

I walked to the end of the driveway after Irina had parked the SUV. The mailbox had its usual mix of bills, junk mail, magazines and - wait, this looks different! There was a beautiful envelope with all of our names on the front. I flipped it over, and saw that it came from the Cullens, down in Forks, Washington. _Uh-oh, _I thought as another wave of sadness washed over me as I held the envelope. _I don't think this is going to make me happy._

I walked back to the house, and found my family sitting comfortably in the living room. Kate was holding court, telling our other coven members, Eleazar and Carmen, about the hockey player. She had already started planning how to catch him on the rebound. That girl works **fast**! The part of me that wasn't in a wash of sadness was very impressed.

"We got a card from the Cullens." I said, handing the envelope over to Eleazar. While my sisters and I are much older than Eleazar and Carmen, they appear older, so they act as our parents. Eleazar is a comforting soul, and it is easy to view him as a parent. He works as a psychologist in private practice, and uses both is mind reading abilities and his gentle nature to help unsettled souls. He was the right person to open this card that gave me such sadness.

"Ah, really?" said Eleazar, looking at me carefully. "And you feel sadness from it Tanya? Hmmm ..." I can't hide my feelings from him as well as I can from Kate. _Darn_.

"Yes. I've felt a weight for the past two days. It will be a relief at this point to find out the cause."

"Well then, lets not delay." Eleazar opened the envelope, and pulled out a beautiful ivory card, with sheets of vellum on either side and a gold ribbon across the top. _Oh no_, I thought. _Oh no._

"This isn't sad news, it's wonderful news!" cooed Carmen, reading over Eleazar's shoulder. "Edward is finally marrying Bella! Carlisle has put in a note that says her Change will happen after the wedding. Oh, this invitation is lovely! I know that Alice must be planning the wedding, it will be gorgeous! I can't wait to send the RSVP card, I need to go call Esme! I know we couldn't help her out with Victoria, but she should have told me about this before! She must be so happy to have her family complete." At this point, she looked wistfully over at us - the three single sisters - and continued, "I hope I can send out something like this someday." Carmen sighed, and went into the study to use the phone.

I had already been sad due to my "gift". Hearing Carmen's opinions on our continued status as single women without a soul mate didn't help.

"Well, now." Eleazar said, in his calmest voice. "I can see why the sadness was coming, Tanya. I am very happy for the Cullens, but I'm sad for you. I wish things could have been different between you and Edward."

"Me too, Eleazar, Me too." I managed to say those words, then walk (not run! I did have some control over my emotions!) up the stairs to my room. I laid down on the red velvet chaise, and shook with tearless sobs .

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Please Review! You'll make my day so much brighter (and since it's rainy, that would be a Good Thing. I have chapter 2 ready to go, and I even have an outline for the other chapters!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

I dragged myself through the rest of that week - Carmen was overjoyed about the wedding, Kate and Irina were intent on finding new men they could bring as dates to the wedding, and I felt like there was nothing left for me to enjoy. None of the hikers smelled right, none of the locals looked right, and nothing _felt_ right.

We had lived in Denali for several years now, and I had enjoyed it so much. This was probably the longest time we had lived somewhere because of the many wonderful features of the area. The beautiful forest, the ice-capped mountains, the plentiful wildlife, and the streams of new and exciting men _(oops! I mean people) who come to hike). _ Men who hike tend to be built **very** well, and I had enjoyed so many of them. **So** many of them.

Why did I end up with this crush on Edward? Was it because he was the only one who had rebuffed my advances? It was upsetting to have all these amazing men nearby, and not feel the zing of attraction for them. It felt like something was "off" within me - the on switch that kept my libido active for fun with almost any man had suddenly turned off. I wanted something more than fun, and I still wished that more could have been with Edward. Heck, I would have settled for just having **fun** with Edward!

After I had reformed to being a "vegetarian" vampire, I had also reformed my dating habits and not poached on men who belonged to other women. I had frequently acted like Kate was doing this week - plotting to catch someone on the rebound - but I had not tried to break up a couple. To ruin a man's life of happiness for some fun _(even if it was good fun he'd never forget!)_ seemed almost as wrong as killing them. So, I knew that Edward was staying with Bella, and I was grieving what might have been. Loves like what was between Carmen & Eleazar and the Cullen couples was rare. I had hoped Edward was my love, but it looked like that wasn't the case. Where would I find love? Of course, I had enjoyed men for a thousand years, but I had never found my true love for eternity. And this Bella had found hers at 18! Very unfair.

On the plus side, my occasional pouts got some wonderful attention from some of the hikers. I was still mourning Edward's loss to marriage, and didn't take any of them up on their wonderful ideas. I would probably regret it later - some of those men were very creative with what could be done on a hiking trail! There is nothing quite like the feeling of men lusting for you - it will perk you up even when you are truly down. Those bursts of lust and longing coming from the hikers kept my days from being overwhelmed by melancholy.

July passed in a blur. Carmen spent her days on the phone with Esme or Alice, offering suggestions about the wedding. Kate ensnared Tim, the hockey player with the dark hair and dazzling blue eyes. Irina ensnared his best friend, Chuck. According to Irina, Chuck may not look as good as Tim at first, but he had many hidden talents. _Ahem_. Kate giggled about hockey players scoring on **and** off the ice. I moped. I wish I could say that I acted like I wanted to go to the wedding, and I rose above my selfishness to be happy for Edward, but that wouldn't be the truth. I moped.

At the beginning of August, we had a burst of sunny days - a week where I had to call in sick to work for fear of dazzling all the hikers with my brilliant body. I went hiking by myself (to mope), and wandered through the forest. I had hunted just before the weather turned, so I just enjoyed **looking** at the wildlife. The variety of animals in our forest always astounds me. After a while, all the blood made me hungry, so I helped the sheep cull an injured ewe from the herd. After feeding and hiking for 2 days, I returned home with a more positive outlook.

"Oh, thank goodness your spirits have improved!" Kate greeted me as I walked up to the house. "Your thoughts have been interfering with my fun!"

"From the emotions I was getting, sister dear, you managed to have quite a bit of fun despite my thoughts!" I laughed.

"Oh, Tanya! How I've missed that laugh!" Carmen came to the door, her eyes sparkling, a grin wide across her beautiful face.

"I know I've been moping," I replied, walking back into the house. "I think I just needed some time alone to clear my head. I'll be OK."

"Good, dear. So will you be coming with us to Forks next week for the wedding?" Carmen asked.

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**A/N: **Sorry this one was short, there wasn't another good stopping point. Chapter 3 will be up tomorrow, or later tonight! Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Did Carmen just ask me if I was going to the wedding next week? It's next week?! How did that happen?_ My thoughts were frantic, but I managed to respond in a relatively calm voice. "Yes, I'l come, and I'll be happy for Edward and the Cullens. As an extra gift to Edward, I won't **try** to disrupt the wedding. I may need another hike like this one before going, but I'm determined to look relaxed, rather than desperate, at the wedding."

"That's the spirit!" called Irina, coming out onto the porch from inside the house. "I knew you could get over this crush you have on Edward! You know, you'd get fed up with Edward's old fashioned nature. You are a lot more carefree than Edward. I know you had a thing for him, but your natures would never have meshed well."

I smiled. "You are likely correct, dear sister. I wish I had taken a more objective view of the matter." _Only in my family would someone tell you to rethink a crush due to logic. As if they ever followed anything besides their hearts and libidos! OK, cannot get morose. Must change the topic ..._ "Now, on to more important things - are you and Kate bringing your men to the wedding?" I asked, thinking that was a safe topic.

Kate gasped, "Why, of course! You **have** to have a date for a wedding! Summer flings are such wonderful fun, but to attend a wedding with a gorgeous man on your arm just makes my day!" Irina nodded her agreement.

"Chuck is perfect for a wedding!" Irina said, "He's good looking, knows how to dance, and will wear a tux without a fuss. And since he's friends with Tim, it will be fine to bring him to the wedding. Bella's family and friends will be there, so there shouldn't be anything obviously vampire about the wedding."

"I'm sure you'll both look lovely with your dates." I said, now wishing I hadn't said anything. "I feel a lot of joy and pleasure from both of you, so it should go well."

"Oh, hooray!" Kate clapped her hands. "I was a smidge worried that your bad feeling meant that we wouldn't have a good time at the wedding. I'm glad that it wasn't the case!"

"If you're going, then you need to get the right dress!" Irina ran down the steps from the front porch, grabbed me by the arm, and started dragging me to her car. "Come on, Tanya. You want to look good for this wedding, so we are going to find The Dress. Edward should be sure to see what he's missing!" At this, Kate hooted her agreement, then ran to catch up with us. Carmen just smiled, and went back into the house - I gathered that she had already found a dress, she had probably even sent a picture to Esme to make sure she wouldn't accidentally match someone else.

"OK, OK. You can take me!" I was happy for another diversion. "Are we looking for the two of you as well?"

Irina and Kate turned to look at me in horror. "Wait to buy a dress until the week before the wedding?!" came from Irina, with a gasp of surprise.

"Oh, darling, of course not! We started shopping when the invitation arrived!" Kate shook her head, stunned by my question. I should have known better, but I had been so far into my moping that I hadn't noticed how fast the time had passed.

I had heard from Carmen that Bella didn't like shopping - apparently it was causing Alice some trouble with the wedding planning. I was slightly uneasy that Edward's fiancée and I might have something in common _(beyond our love for Edward, of course)._ In my case, I don't loathe shopping, I just want to get to the store, buy what we need, and then leave. Carmen, Kate, and Irina enjoyed shopping almost as if it were a sport or hobby. I tend to avoid shopping with them as a result.

An hour's drive (for us!) from our home was a beautiful town filled with boutiques along the main road. We have always preferred to buy from small, family-owned boutiques rather than large and impersonal department stores, so off we went. It was a picturesque day with a light layer of clouds in the sky, and the town looked lovely - all the boutiques had window boxes overflowing with flowers. The store owners were happy to see us, and there were so many beautiful dresses. I started my shopping trip happy and hopeful.

4 stores into our quest for the perfect dress, I was feeling depressed. Nothing had been quite right - I felt like I was turning into my sisters or Goldilocks when I turned down dress after dress. One dress was too revealing, another wasn't revealing enough. One was beautiful, but then Kate remembered that the dress was the same color as the bridesmaid dresses, so that was out. I knew enough not to even look at black dresses_ (which are my usual preference) _or white _(which make me look pasty anyhow)_. If I wore blue, it would look like I was trying too hard - everyone knew Edward loved blue, and of course there were a gazillion blue dresses. _Arrrgh! None of these is right! Will we ever find something?_

Then Kate pulled me toward the fifth store, saying "I know this will be the right one! We have always gotten such good service here! This is the store where we bought our dresses for Rosalie and Emmett's last wedding, remember?" Irina cooed, and I nodded, feeling almost hopeful, but wondering in the back of my mind why we hadn't gone here first.

I felt a wave of satisfaction pour over me just before we walked into the next boutique. We were greeted at the door, but the proprietor knew enough to let us just look. Kate and Irina wandered around looking while I passed my hand over a few displays. After a few passes, my hand settled on the Right Dress. It was a deep red, with an off-the-shoulder cut, gathered waist, long skirt, and with an almost scandalous slit up the left side. It was perfect. I put it on, and modeled for my sisters.

Kate's eyes widened,"Oh, Tanya! It's lovely! Red is perfect for your skin tone and that beautiful blonde hair - you can see strawberry highlights in your hair with this dress!"

Irina smirked, "He's sure to notice you in this, and so will everyone else! You may well find someone even better than Edward!"

I looked back in the mirror as I twirled, even as I wondered who could be better than Edward. Yes, it was perfect. Edward would see what he was missing out on, but it wasn't offensive or too attention-grabbing. I knew Rosalie would be trying to upstage the bride, so I didn't want to appear as if I was following in her footsteps. I may adore men, and keep up my good looks, but I try to be fair.

A few quick adjustments were made to the dress by the in-store tailor so it would be look as if it were made for me. I actually grinned as I watched the dress be packaged up for transport home.

We turned the car back towards home, and I started to get a new feeling - not sadness or melancholy, but the beginnings of wanderlust.

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**A/N: **Sorry I haven't replied to reviews – I had to get ready to sell my jewelry at the Farmer's market, and then actually **go** to the Farmer's market! I want to say, though, that I love Edward and Bella together, so I'm aiming for a Tanya who is nicer than how she is usually portrayed in fanfics.

Please review, I love reviews! They make me so happy!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**A/N: **_I forgot to add it to Chapters 2 & 3, but I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created._

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My mouth may have been quiet on the flight to Seattle from Alaska, but my mind was working overtime. I had managed to get a seat at the back of first class, with the seat next to me empty. Kate was so busy with Tim, she wasn't listening to my thoughts. Irina and Chuck also appeared "busy", while Carmen and Eleazar were quietly reading books. We had all fed well before going to the airport - being locked in a tube with a bunch of humans is excruciating. However, it was much faster than a car, and Carmen was impatient to get to the wedding and "help" the Cullens.

My thoughts were jumbled - I felt completely discombobulated, as if the ground was slipping out from under me. Finally, in an effort to get a handle on my emotions, I pulled out my black MacBook, and started writing down my thoughts and feelings.

_I'm on my way to Edward's __**wedding**__. Where he pledges his love to some __**human**__ girl._

_I've had a crush on Edward from the first time I saw his beautiful bronze hair and crooked grin._

_I have tried to get his attention through flirting, sensual dressing, "accidental" wardrobe malfunctions, and many other tricks I've learned. All of these tricks have worked innumerable times._

_He has never shown any interest in my advances, even though I have about 1,000 years of sexual experience, and he is overly repressed and needs help. He's the only one who didn't respond to any of my overtures. Clearly, it's not me - it's him - he's too repressed._

_If his fiancée is as repressed as he is, will they even know what to do on their wedding night? _I started to giggle at this ... _Maybe he'll need to call Emmett and Rosalie for assistance! Given how much crap he's given Emmett and Rosalie for the thoughts he's overheard, he might deserve that fate._

_Will Edward __**ever**__ get passed his repression? If I couldn't do it before, how on earth could this Bella person do it? Especially since she isn't a vampire. It would be sad if he and his wife didn't consummate their relationship on their wedding night because of their repressed tendencies..._

_Edward is too beautiful to be wasted on a __**human**__. Even if she is going to be Changed. He shouldn't have to restrain himself the first time he receives that level of pleasure. That level of pleasure should only be enjoyed with someone who can truly share the full experience with you._

_AHA!!! I should break him in! I can teach him what to do so his wedding night will be perfect! That way I can get what I want (Edward's attention), and also __**help**__ him with his fiancée! It's the perfect idea!_

After coming to this conclusion, I quickly closed and saved the file, calling it "Victorian Era" as a play on Edward's repression. I snapped my beautiful black laptop closed, and grinned widely. I felt at peace with my decision. It would be best for everyone. Maybe now these unsettled feelings would be put to rest ...

I gazed around the cabin, feeling the emotions of others, when I had a wave of apprehension and anxiety from Kate. _Uh-oh! I think Tim fell asleep and she eavesdropped a bit. I shouldn't have assumed she was preoccupied._

In the time it would take for a human heart to beat, Kate was sitting in the seat beside me. "What the hell are you thinking, Tanya? You're going to ruin his wedding and marriage if you keep thinking like that! I thought you had decided to let him go, let him be happy!"

"Erm. Well, um, it seemed like the right thing to do! I mean, Edward's repressed, this Bella girl is repressed, and I want some attention from Edward. If I break in Edward, he'll be able to break through this Bella girl's repression, **plus** I'll have some fun. It's a win-win-win solution for all three of us!"

Kate's eyes were wide. "N-n-n-nooo" she stuttered, stunned.

I looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean, 'No'? It's like I'm a sex counsellor. Or a pre-marriage counsellor! I'm **helping** them! Really!"

Kate shook her head mutely, then ran to Irina's side. Blessedly, all the humans on the flight were asleep, as she wasn't thinking about vampire speed versus human speed.

In another human heartbeat, both Kate **and** Irina were sitting next to me, and both had the same shocked and horrified look on their beautiful faces.

"What?" I asked, still confused. "We were the women who started the myth of the succubus! How could this be wrong for me to do this? I would be **helping** him! Who better for him to learn from? Think of what even this Bella person would gain ... all that knowledge passed on to the human."

Irina shook herself out of her stupefied silence. "Oh sweetie, I know you want to help. Really, I know you do. But let's not settle on this plan now. Maybe Edward's doing better with his repression. Or maybe Bella is only **pretending** to be repressed until after the wedding - to honor Edward's morals. We don't know - it's been a while since we saw them, and so much has happened there."

Kate almost jumped out of her seat, "I know! I know!"

"You know **what**, Kate?" I asked, annoyed.

"I know what we can do! I know how we can figure out if your plan would be fair or not!"

"How?"

"We can ask one of the Cullens! The rest of them aren't repressed!" She sat back, glowing in pride at her idea.

"Ooooh, you **are** brilliant, sister!" Irina cooed. "That's perfect! But who should we ask?"

"Not one of the boys." Kate replied. It was like they were ignoring me! Just talking about my idea like I wasn't there!

"No, none of the boys. They'd tease too much."

"Not Rosalie - I know she isn't thrilled about Bella. You know how she is about her human past ... "

"And not Esme. I don't think we need to talk about sex to the groom's mother!"

"Alice!" they chorused together.

Kate was almost jumping up and down in her seat, "Alice will even be able to tell us if the plan would work, because of her visions! And we know **she** isn't repressed! I walked in on her with Jasper ..." She let that thought hang, and laughed her musical laugh.

"Yes. That's perfect," agreed Irina. We'll be there early enough that we can talk to Alice before the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner with Bella's family. Will you agree to go along with what Alice says?" They both fixed their eyes on me.

I sighed. "OK. If Alice thinks my idea is good, I go ahead with it. I still think it's brilliant. But if Alice sees it as a bad idea - and not just her opinion! She needs to have a vision about it! **IF** she thinks it isn't a good idea, I will follow her suggestions."

With this settled, my sisters went back to their sleeping boyfriends, and curled up against their warmth. I leaned against the window and opened my MacBook again. I opened the file of thoughts, and read it through again.

_I've agreed to go along with what Alice foresees._ I write, _though I continue to think this is a very good plan for everyone. My sisters believe otherwise, and I don't understand how this sharing of pleasure could be a bad idea. They'll see how brilliant my plan is once we talk to Alice._

With that settled, I closed the smooth black laptop, and slipped it into my bag, letting my thoughts drift as I waited for the trip to finish.

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**A/N: **This was written with 9 fingers. I accidentally filleted one of my fingers while cutting artichokes for last night's dinner. Ouch.

Please review, I love reviews! They make me so happy!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**A/N: **_ I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created._

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I felt so settled and calm when we arrived at the Seattle Airport. I had managed to convince my sisters that a minivan was the most practical mode of transportation. They wanted a sports car, but 5 vampires, 2 humans, and luggage fills a car very quickly! I also mentioned that it would be easier for them to take everyone shopping if there was a minivan. Kate and Irina looked at the green Odyssey with disdain, but eventually they did agree that it was comfortable.

We arrived at the Cullens' home in the early evening 2 nights before the wedding. Alice must have "seen" us arriving, as the whole clan was in front of the house to welcome us.

"Carmen! Eleazar! Girls! Welcome, welcome, welcome! And welcome to you, too, young men! My boys will take your bags upstairs. Come in and sit down, our couches are more comfortable than those airline seats. We need to catch up!" Esme was the consummate mother and hostess. She made all of us feel welcomed and relaxed after the trip within minutes.

Or did she? I caught Jasper's eye and whispered "Thank you!" He grinned. Jasper and I always got along well (platonically of course!) since our powers were related. He did look a bit peaked, and I wondered if Kate and Irina had remembered to warn him that they were bringing their boyfriends.

"We've made sure the guest rooms have been aired for you. Edward and Bella should be here in a few minutes. They were planning to go out to dinner. Perhaps, Kate and Irina, you and your young men would like to join them?" Esme smiled.

"Oh, that would be lovely!" Kate enthused.

"Yes, thank you so much for thinking of us!" Irina agreed. "That reminds me, I should do introductions. This is my boyfriend Chuck, and Kate's boyfriend Tim. Chuck and Tim, these are the Cullens: Carlisle and Esme, who have adopted 5 teenagers - Rosemary and Jasper Hale are twins, and then there's Emmett and Alice."

Everyone politely nodded at each other, and there was a general feeling of welcoming. I was hoping once my sisters were out of the way I could get some girl talk in with Rosemarie and Alice, or some time with Jasper. Emmett was always fun, but it was hard to be around him when I didn't have a young man with me - his physicality was too difficult for me to handle.

"Where is are the bride and groom?" I asked, "I thought they might be here when we arrived."

Alice smiled, "I think Bella was a little nervous about meeting all of you! She and Edward had plans to go on a hike before you got here. They'll be back soon." Then she squealed, "Oh, do you want to help me? Bella lets me dress her like a Barbie! It's so much fun to dress a human!"

"Yes! Yes!" came from Irina and Kate. "That sounds like so much fun!" said Kate, while Irina added, "You're so lucky she lets you do that!"

"Well," admitted Alice, after a look from Jasper, "she doesn't always **want** me to do it, but she accepts that I have a gift for dressing her." Alice's smiles could light up a room, and this one did. Jasper was pulled to her like a magnet, cuddled against her.

Soon, Edward and Bella showed up. I was polite, but reserved, even with Edward. He seemed happy, but nervous. Definitely much happier than I had seen him in ages. Bella looked overwhelmed by all of us, but she was very pretty, in a subtle way. My sisters and I are more the show-off type of pretty, like Rosalie. Bella was beautiful in a different way.

Loathe though I was to admit it, Edward and Bella looked very happy together, and it was obvious that they were in love. My heart ached for me, but I was trying to be happy for them. I wasn't succeeding very well. Thankfully, being a vampire means you can usually have a good poker face, so other than Jasper's questioning looks because of my emotions, my hurt was hidden.

After a bit of chatting, the three couples with human partners went out to dinner. As soon as they were gone, Rosalie and Emmett disappeared for some "alone time". Carlisle and Esme invited Carmen and Eleazar to move to the game room to play Scrabble. I was happily left with Alice and Jasper. I desperately wanted to spend time with them, but I didn't want to intrude on their time together, either.

"What's going on, Tanya?" Jasper asked, as soon as it was just the 3 of us.

"Hmmm?" I shook my head out of the clouds to look at Jasper. "I'm sorry, I was thinking. What did you ask me?"

"I've been feeling waves of emotions coming off you all evening. Do you want to talk about it?" Jasper asked, his eyes filled with compassion.

"I could see the pain in your eyes, Tanya." Alice added, giving me a hug. "I know how much you like Edward. This must be hard for you, sweetie."

"I'd love to talk about it with you, but I know that you two have lives, too. Are you too busy? Do you need to hunt tonight? Or could you sit and talk for a bit?"

Jasper smiled, "I can hunt later. It's better if I hunt tomorrow so I will be full before the rehearsal dinner and then the wedding. Too many humans!"

"I'm sorry about my sisters' boyfriends, Jasper. I think they forgot about your sensitivity to human blood - they were only thinking about looking good at a wedding with a handsome guy on their arms!"

"That's OK, Tanya. I've worked hard at resisting temptation. Bella's around here all the time, and after what happened last year ..." he shuddered. "I can't let anything like that happen again. Never again."

"Well, actually, Bella is why I wanted to talk with you both." I looked at them, thinking Alice might have seen this coming. But she just looked at me. I got a feeling of despair wave over me, but I couldn't tell if it was from Jasper or a portent of the future.

Alice smiled brightly, "We **love** Bella! She's so fun! I can't wait until they're married and he Changes her! It will be so much fun to have her as a sister!" Jasper nodded along with her - I knew it was rare for him to disagree with Alice.

"I know you love Bella. I look forward to getting to know her better. It's just hard ... "

"Because of your crush on Edward. Yeah, unrequited love is wretched. It's caused some problems here with guys who wanted Bella."

"Well, when I was on the plane I was brainstorming. I had a brilliant idea. But Kate and Irina weren't sure it was actually brilliant. They said I needed to run it by you first."

Alice and Jasper nodded encouragingly for me to continue.

"I just want **everybody** to be happy. So I wanted to give Edward and Bella a special gift - the gift of my years of experience. They are both such innocents, and I want them to have a wonderful wedding night. I thought I could talk to Bella about techniques, and demonstrate some techniques with Edward before the wedding. That way they would be sure to have a wonderful honeymoon!" I stopped, and looked at their faces. Alice and Jasper had mirror images of shock and disbelief on their faces.

"What? I thought it was a nice idea!" There was still no response from either of them. I was starting to think I should have asked Rosalie and Emmett. The wave of despair hit again, and that startled Jasper enough for him to talk.

"Tanya, sweetie, I know you mean well, but that just isn't what they would want. I think they will do just fine on their own." Jasper used his gentlest voice, with a gentle push of calm accompanying his words.

Alice nodded. "I've talked to Bella and Edward, and sharing their first time is important to both of them. I don't think your "gift" would be viewed in quite the way you intend it to be." Her eyes unfocused for a moment, then looked at me again, "Nope, not at all."

_Damn! That was the best thing I could come up with. What am I supposed to do now?!_ I nodded dumbly at them, and excused myself to go for a walk.

I walked for a long time, away from the house and through the woods. I needed to get away from the Cullens, away from the talk of the wedding, away from the sound of Emmett and Rosalie's "fun", and away from people in general. My heart was aching, and for once I didn't have a plan, nor did I have a new man. I just wandered through the woods, until I came face-to-face with a russet colored werewolf.

Another wave of despair hit me. I looked at the werewolf, thinking that if ever there was a night to be ripped to shreds, this was it. "I didn't know there were werewolves here." I said, dumbly.

The wolf Changed into a handsome young man. "We keep a patrol. You aren't one of the usual leeches. If you take a few steps more, you will cross the border and break the treaty. Why are you here?"

"Treaty?" I was confused - between the werewolf and the waves of desperation, I was overwhelmed. "I'm here for the wedding. I was taking a walk to clear my head, and I didn't know there was a treaty or a border ... "

A growl came from the young man. "It's not bad enough that she's **marrying** a leech, but they have more come for the wedding?!" It sounded like he was talking to himself, but when I heard his words, I came up with an idea ...

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**A/N:** OK, my characters are doing things on their own now, this wasn't what I had planned, but I'm liking it so far. What do you think? Please review! Otherwise I'm just typing for myself, which doesn't hold the same level of interest ...


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**A/N: **_ I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created._

_However, now that I have been writing a story about Tanya, I feel protective of her. I don't want her to only show up as a bitchy slut! I'm trying to show her as a very sensual woman, but one with some morals. I'm hoping that is coming across._

_-------_

I looked at the young werewolf for a moment, appraising him. He was tall, muscular, and handsome, with beautiful dark hair and skin that showed his Native American heritage as much as my paleness belied my Slavic heritage. _Hmmmm... Dark and Light, together. We could look __**very**__ nice as a couple. If he had feelings for Bella, while I had feelings for Edward ... perhaps we could enjoy each other for a while. The smell of werewolf is strong, but with enough inducement, I could ignore it._

"What are you looking at?" he asked curtly. I shook my head, realizing that I had been staring.

"I'm sorry for staring. You are just very handsome, and I was admiring the view." The werewolf goggled at me, as if he had never heard anyone speak to him so bluntly. I smiled, "Come on, you must have heard that before!"

He looked flustered. "Er, no. Not so much."

_This might be easier than I thought!_ "Well, if we are going to talk and explore my attraction to you, I should introduce myself. My name is Tanya, I am from the coven of vampires in Denali, Alaska. We follow the same diet as the Cullens. We aren't a threat to the people here."

He nodded, still looking a bit stunned. "That's useful to know. My name's Jacob, I'm part of the Quilete tribe, and part of the werewolf pack. We have a treaty with the Cullens - they don't pass the treaty line or bite any humans, and we don't attack them. We've worked together a few time against mutual enemies, but they're still bloodsuckers."

"And even though you helped the Cullens, you're all still dogs." I smiled at him, the smile that has brought so many men to me over the ages. He nodded, and looked a bit more stunned, but I started to feel a wave of arousal from him, so I knew I was on the right track.

"I went out for a walk this tonight, because I'm tired of all the **couples** at the house. My sisters both have boyfriends with them, and everyone else has a wife or husband. I don't like being the only one without a partner." For some reason, the honest words poured out of my mouth. It wasn't what I had planned to say, but they flowed nonetheless. "What brings you out tonight?"

Jacob blinked at me. "I've been roaming for a while. There's something happening that I don't like, and I can't be with others right now. Werewolves share thoughts when we change form, and I don't want to force the others to hear my pain."

_Hmmmm... Maybe he and I have something else in common ... Perhaps he's also upset about the wedding? He __**did**__ feelings for Bella! My plan will work beautifully!_ I almost grinned, but instead said mildly, "I think we may have something in common."

He looked at me curiously, "Whatever could we have in common?"

"Neither of us wants the upcoming wedding to happen."

"Oh. Yes. That." He looked uncomfortable. "You're right."

I smiled at him again. "You know, if you want, I could help you."

"How could a _leech_ like you help **me**?"

"I need a date for the wedding, to help me show Edward what he is missing. I have a feeling you'd like to show Bella what she is giving up as well." With this, I turned my smile seductive, and let the strap for my tank top fall off my shoulder, exposing a bit of cleavage. I guessed that Bella had not been as comfortable showing her body as I was. The look in Jacob's eyes told me I had guessed correctly. "Perhaps we could go together. We would look good together, I think."

"I did get an invitation from Edward," he said, clearly thinking about it. "That may not be a bad idea, if I can get past the smell of, um," he paused, "vampire."

_He didn't say "bloodsucker" or "leech"! I think I've made some progress! _"I can get past the smell of werewolf, I think. Perhaps I should take you out for dinner, so we can get better acquainted. That would also build up my tolerance to your smell." Truthfully, the more interested I became, the less I noticed the smell. But I didn't need to tell him that!

"Sadly, I already ate. I don't particularly want to watch you eat," he laughed.

"I didn't think so!" I joined his laughter. "Is there somewhere we could go just to sit and get to know each other better?"

"The beach is just over there. I don't think anyone else is out tonight, so we can sit together. I can tell the others tomorrow that you were here with my OK." He held out his hand, and I took it.

As we walked toward the beach, I marveled at how very warm his hand felt. I could suddenly understand part of Edward's attraction to Bella. The warmth was an intense sensation after so many years of coldness. I had, of course, taken human lovers before, but it had been several years since my last human partner. If I remembered correctly, werewolf bodies were even warmer than regular humans. Maybe that was why his big hand felt so good around mine.

"This beach is beautiful!" I exclaimed when we arrived. "Thank you for making an exception to your treaty and allowing me to come here. This is obviously a very special place."

He **blushed**! "We spend a lot of time on the beach - parties, bonfires, tribal meetings, and other things. You're right, it is special place. There's a good rock to sit on right over there." He pointed with his left hand, his right hand still closed around mine.

We got to the rock, and sat down. I leaned against him a bit, and I could feel the lust coming from him. Sometimes sensing the emotions that are coming can be most helpful!

Jacob cleared his throat. "What's the deal between you and Edward? Why do you want to make him jealous?"

"I've known Edward for years, since before the Cullens moved to Forks. They stayed with us a few times over the years. Edward has also come to visit when he needed to get away - lately it's been because of his worry that he will hurt Bella or he isn't good enough for her." When I said that last bit, Jacob growled and I smiled. "Yes, I knew you'd agree with that last bit!"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but why are you bothering with him? Any man would be thrilled to have you!"

"No matter his shortcomings, I fell for the man who put the woman first - he thought of Bella long before he thought of himself. He's handsome, kind, and generous - a rare combination." I paused, looking at him. "What about you? You're handsome, and seem kind - why are you mooning after Bella?"

His grin dazzled me a bit. "That was a **bad** pun! I've had feelings for Bella since she first moved here - her dad and mine are friends, so we've been thrown together. She's beautiful, humble, and always thinks of everyone else before herself. As you said, it's a rare combination." He sighed.

"You're right. That is a rare combination. Unfortunately, it looks like both of us will continue to have unrequited love - Alice has foreseen no problems with the wedding going as planned. I've checked with the other Cullens, and it seems that everyone adores Bella. I won't be fighting for Edward at the wedding. I just want one last chance to flaunt to Edward what might have been."

"You are probably right. As much as I want to burst in on the wedding and carry her off, there is no way that would actually work. Your plan might be a good parting shot." His expression turned pensive.

"Then it's settled! We'll attend together. I have the perfect dress, and I'm sure you will look devastatingly handsome in a suit or tux." A smile played over my lips as I considered the image. I refrained from licking my lips, but only barely. This young man was **very** attractive.

I saw a smile returning to Jacob's supple mouth. "You are going to be the most beautiful guest there, Tanya."

"Thank you. Jacob." I leaned over to kiss him in thanks, and the kiss quickly changed from one of gratitude to one of passion. His hot lips against my cold ones felt like they were burning, lighting the fire of desire within me.

I ran my hands up and down his muscled back, and he ran his up and down my silky back. His fingers stroked my long, blonde hair. All too soon, I broke away.

"I need to get back, I've been gone too long." I said, reluctantly. I didn't want people to worry, especially since Alice couldn't "see" me here.

"I want to see you tomorrow," he said, his voice husky.

"Of course! Give me your phone number, and I will call you when I will be free from the pre-wedding activities. We can spend some time together then."

"I'll look forward to that." He jotted down his phone number on a torn piece of paper. I tucked it into a small pocket.

I kissed him on more time, then ran back towards the Cullens' home.

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**A/N:** Please review! I've had a bad day with my chronic pain, and it will make me very happy.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**A/N: **I'm sorry it took so long to update - I have chronic pain that moves through my body. I couldn't type because I couldn't use my left hand all day yesterday. bah, humbug.

**Disclaimer: **_ I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created._

_-------_

I hoped that the run back to the Cullens' house would help my mind to settle down. There were so many thoughts caught in my brain, I started to run slower so that I could make sense of them. I wished I had my MacBook, because writing down my thoughts helped me to organize them. Finally, I stopped in the middle of the forest - I needed to get my thoughts straightened out before I got to the house and all the other people. I was feeling very anxious, and couldn't tell if it was my own feeling, or a premonition.

I had to sort through my feelings, and my thoughts. I was anxious, and that wasn't like me - maybe it was a premonition. I rarely thought about the feelings of other people, and suddenly that was all that I could think about. I tried to straighten out my thoughts:

_I need to look good for Edward's wedding to Bella._

_I don't want Edward to leave Bella, but I __**do**__ want him to see what he has given up. _

_I've realized that he probably won't care - the way he looks at her is true devoted love._

_I wish desperately that I could have someone look at me that way._

_The boy who is in love with Bella is very hot. I think he also wants to show off at the wedding. But I don't know if he is thinking of stopping the wedding. I need to make sure I distract him enough that he won't do anything._

_Distracting him might not be that hard - he looked awfully distracted when i was talking to him! Mmmmm .._

I figured out what to do, so I started running back to the house. Tomorrow morning I'll talk to Jake and we can meet somewhere. I'll flirt shamelessly, and make sure he's interested in me. As long as I can easily distract him with some wardrobe malfunctions, I'll go to the wedding with him. If he isn't easily distracted, I'll make sure the rest of the family knows he's planning to come, and they'll watch out for him.

I got back to the house as all the couples with human partners got back from their dinners. We all sat out on the porch chatting, and I found myself starting to like Bella, despite myself.

"I've heard you're planning to be Changed after the wedding?" I asked her. Edward was chatting with Kate and Irina's boyfriends.

"Yes. I've asked Edward to Change me for **ages**, but he wouldn't do it unless we were married. Now that we've graduated high school, and I agreed to marry him," she paused for a moment to look lovingly at Edward, "he said he'd bite me."

"He has a lot of strict morals." I said, smiling at her.

"Oh yeah! We've had some arguments about those morals! He kept putting up boundaries I wasn't supposed to cross, and I kept trying to push past them ... " Bella smiled at me.

"I don't know how you live within those rules! I always thought Edward looked delicious, but he'd never play with me. Congratulations on winning the prize - he's a great guy."

"Thanks. It's hard to play by his rules, but since it's either his rules or nothing, I go with his rules." She smiled again, and her scent wafted over towards me. Edward was right, she did smell delicious. But she also seemed like a truly good person.

"You're both lucky. I am so glad you found each other. I wish I could find someone who looks at me the way you and Edward look at each other!" I sighed, wistfully.

"What?" Bella's eyes went wide. "You're envious of **me**? I was so worried about you and your sisters coming to the wedding! I thought you would try to take Edward from me!"

"Nope! Kate and Irina never wanted to try for Edward - his morals and everything made him too much work. They like easy catches." When i said that, Bella's grin grew wide, and she glanced over at the besotted young men next to my sisters.

"But what about you? I'm sorry, but I have to ask - I kept hearing that you had a crush on Edward." Bella said this with what looked like determination on her face, as if it had cost her a lot to ask.

"I did. And trust me, I'm going all out at your wedding - he will see what he didn't choose!" I smiled, and decided not to tell her about Jacob, nor about my "gift" idea for Edward. "But the more I heard about you, the more I realized that you two are clearly meant for each other. I'm not going to screw that up for you. Instead, I'm going to try to find that for me."

Bella blinked at me, a blush rising in her cheeks. "What did you say?"

"I really am envious of you. I want what you have." I stopped, and realized I should clarify myself. "I don't want Edward any more, instead I want the kind of relationship you two have. I want to find that love - the kind that the other Cullens have, and Carmen and Eleazar have. That's what I want. One thousand years of fun doesn't stop me from feeling lonely now and again." The sadness I was trying to keep at bay pushed into me. I needed to escape this conversation, and fast.

"I'm sorry for blurting all this out at you! I, um, need to go check on some things. I'll let you enjoy your evening." With that less-than-graceful exit line, I left the porch (and left Bella staring at me with a shocked look on her face) and went up to the guest room I was using. I pulled out my MacBook, and wrote down how I was feeling, and what I wanted to do about it. I always felt better when I could write things out.

_I will __**not**__, I repeat, will __**not**__ do anything to jeopardize Bella's relationship with Edward._

_I will go after the hot guy, Jacob, not because he's in love with Bella, but because he's hot, and I need some fun._

_Denali isn't feeling fun any more. Maybe I should try out some other places for a change._

_It would be weird to live without my sisters, but it might be good for me to be on my own for a while. Maybe without Kate & Irina as competition, I'l find someone._

With those thoughts written out onscreen I felt more settled than I had in a while. Once morning arrived and the humans had breakfast, Bella and Edward went to the airport to pick up her mother and step-father. There weren't any wedding activities until the rehearsal at 6 and rehearsal dinner at 6:30. The other members of the families were going out for a hunt, but I was wasn't interested. Instead, I pulled out my cell phone and called Jacob.

"Hello?" Jacob answered, clearly not recognizing my cell phone number.

"Hi Jake, it's Tanya."

"Oh! Hi!" He sounded much happier to hear from me at that point.

"I don't have anything to do until 6pm. Do you have any ideas? My family is out hiking, and I'm bored."

"Hiking? Don't you mean **hunting**?" There was a bit of a sneer in his voice.

"Yes, but I thought you'd prefer the euphemism. Ok, I'll rephrase. The rest of my family is off sucking blood from animals. I want to do something else. Come pick me up."

He laughed, and it was a beautiful sound. "All right, all right. I'll come get you. But I'm not driving to the house. Meet me at the gas station down the road. I'll take you to a beach. It's not sunny, so it won't be crowded."

"And as a bonus, since it isn't sunny, I won't sparkle. OK, I'll meet you in a few at the gas station." I closed my phone, then went into the living room, where Tim and Chuck were watching baseball. "I'm going out, guys. I'll be back in time for the rehearsal. You guys chose to stay home when the others went hiking?"

They looked up at me, and said (almost in unison), "This is an important game!"

I laughed, and ran out the door. I loved the wind in my hair as I ran. My gold ballet flats were comfortable for a quick run, as were my embroidery-accented capris and wine-red tank top. Sexy casual was definitely my look - Rosalie's look took too much work. I arrived at the gas station a bit before Jacob, so I went inside to grab him something - I looked around, thinking of what the hikers bought in Denali. I ended up with a Coke and a package of Reese's Peanut Butter cups. They were as close as I could find to an energy bar - sugar and peanut butter meant energy, right? _Jake might need some extra energy to keep up with me._ I smiled a the thought, walking back outside as Jacob pulled up.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?" Jake greeted me with a smile.

"Waiting for you, slowpoke." I grinned at him. "I picked you up some human food while I was waiting."

"Thanks. Now get in, your chariot awaits - I want to take you to the beach!"

I got in, and we proceeded to have a lovely drive to the beach, and a nice walk on the beach. After the first few awkward moments, I took his hot hand in my cold one. I think his eyes widened a bit, and his heart rate **definitely** increased! A few minutes after holding his hand, I stopped to take my shoes off. When I stood up, he was watching me. I looked back at him, and then kissed him.

Jake seemed startled at my kiss, but that didn't stop him from reciprocating. I let one hand roam up his back, then opened my lips and touched my tongue to his lips, seeing if he would agree to deepen the kiss. He did.

I had forgotten how wonderful it was to kiss someone and feel his muscles moving under my hands with the breeze from the ocean blowing through my hair. I don't know how long we were there, kissing, but my phone rang and that broke the kiss.

I opened my phone, annoyed, not even looking at the number. "Yes?"

"Are you coming to the rehearsal, Tanya? It's 5:30, and no one knows where you are," Kate said, sounding worried. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine, Kate, I'm fine. I just went out for a while and lost track of time. I'll be there in a few minutes." I closed the phone.

"You have to go prepare for the wedding." Jake looked at me, and I thought of the looks you get from a sad puppy dog.

"Yep, off to the rehearsal. The wedding isn't until tomorrow evening, though. Do you want to go for another walk tomorrow morning?"

Jake's face brightened. "Sounds good."

"Same Bat time, Same Bat channel - 10am at the gas station?"

Jake looked a bit embarrassed, "I'd, um, really like that." And with that, he kissed me quickly. I pulled on my shoes, and ran back towards the Cullens' house. _What am I getting myself into?_

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**A/N: Please Review! Wedding is in the next chapter! But what else happens?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**A/N:**_I heard an interview with an author on NPR a while back, and he said that all his characters ate in diners because he couldn't spell restaurant. Thank goodness for spell check! I don't think a Rehearsal Dinner should happen at a diner ..._

**Disclaimer: **_ I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created._

_-------_

I'm sure that the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner were fascinating for Edward and Bella. Esme and Alice were probably fascinated, too. Perhaps Bella's human parents were also fascinated. Kate and Irina were fascinated with their boyfriends, and I was simply bored silly. I should have known that any wedding planned by Alice would be some type of overblown affair. Bella seemed so down-to-earth that she must have toned it down a bit. But there was still too much hype around. All the perky chatter was beyond what I was interested in - I had given up a lovely evening with a very hot young man for this?

The rehearsal dinner was being held at an unusual restaurant just outside Forks called The Willow Tree. the restaurant was a rambling old home, with rooms that had been beautifully decorated in the style of the early 1900s. There were several private rooms, and then several larger rooms with multiple tables. It was beautiful, and I could understand Alice's choice since Edward had grown up during that time period, but it was also very easy to get lost - once we arrived at our table, I wasn't quite sure how to get back to the door.

I looked around and tried to come up with wedding-related topics for discussion. It wasn't easy faking interest, though getting a wave of boredom after the rehearsal and before the dinner helped reinforce my belief that Bella wasn't thrilled with this hype. At least I wasn't the only person feigning interest to make the others happy. I turned to my left and saw that Alice had sat next to me. "So, Alice, how did you choose the restaurant? And how did you figure out the food for the wedding?" I was honestly interested in this - Alice had planned several weddings, but they were all **vampire** weddings, so no food was needed.

Alice perked up, "Thanks for asking, Tanya! I talked to a few people around Forks, and heard about this restaurant - The Willow Tree. When I came here, it felt right - the time period of the decorations was almost like a sign. I knew I had found the right place, when I found out that they are a restaurant **and** a catering company! It was perfect. I, um, encouraged Bella to come here a few weeks ago."

I laughed. "You mean you forced her, don't you."

"I told her I had seen her enjoying the meal." Alice defended herself, but then smiled. "I hadn't really had a vision about it, but she didn't need to know that! Anyhow, it fixed two problems at once - I'm great with all the other wedding related stuff, but I don't have experience with the food. They've even got a contract with a local baker for the cake."

"Oh, that sounds perfect, Alice!" I enthused, wanting to just get through this discussion intact. "You've done such a nice job with the wedding. If I'm ever in need of a wedding planner, I'll go to you first!"

"You, marrying?" Alice looked honestly surprised. I had never seen her like that before.

"I can hope for someday. I've been feeling lonely lately - everyone seems to be so happy with their spouses." I sighed.

"I'll have to 'watch' for you, Tanya! I never thought of you considering a serious relationship. I guess this wedding has affected you more than you're letting on." She looked at me shrewdly.

"Probably. It might just be the straw that broke the camel's back. We'll see how things go after the wedding ends. I do still want to _enjoy_ myself, though. I'm hoping to have some fun before the wedding tomorrow."

"Good for you! Jasper has said you seemed a bit low since you've been here, but you're looking brighter now." Alice smiled at me. I knew that smile, it was the kind that was plotting something devious.

"NO!" I almost screamed, looking at her face. "I don't want that!"

"Excuse me, miss, can I help you?" A lovely young woman had walked over to me after my outburst. I looked at her for a moment, taking in her bright dark eyes with long lashes, long dark plaited hair,and skin tone that suggested some of her relatives were from the nearby Quileute tribe. Her work outfit was lovely, a red dress with a high neckline that still managed to accented her natural curves. A quick glance showed me that her left hand had no ring.

"I'm sorry, I over-reacted to something my friend said." I smiled at the young woman. "But perhaps you could help me remember how to get outside? I think I need to get some fresh air."

"Of course, miss." She smiled at me, and I touched her hand briefly as I got to my feet. A burst of loneliness followed by pure joy spread through me and confirmed what I was thinking.

I looked at Alice, "I'm sorry I over-reacted. I'll see you later, I just need to go for a walk." I looked up at Edward and Bella, "Thank you for inviting me to this dinner, I'll see you later."

"Bye Tanya!" I heard as I followed the young woman through the rooms to the exit.

As we walked towards the exit, I said, "Thank you so much for the escort. This is a beautiful restaurant, and I love the way you have made an older home into private rooms for different functions, it's a wonderful idea."

She smiled. "Thank you! I love working here. We do get a lot of requests for help to the exit, though." Her laugh was light and melodious.

"You are a wonderful server. Are you helping with the wedding tomorrow?"

"Yes, i love working weddings! I was so happy to be able to work at the rehearsal and at the reception! This family has been wonderful to work with, they've given us free reign with the menu, and it's been a lot of fun."

"I'm glad. Thanks again. My name's Tanya, may I get your name? I just want to make sure your boss knows how helpful you were." I smiled, wishing I had that _nudging_ power that was in all the vampire books. Sometimes my smile could _dazzle_ people, but it usually only worked on men or lesbians, and this woman was neither.

"My name's Karina. It was nice meeting you, Tanya. I'll look forward to seeing you at the wedding tomorrow evening."

"Thanks Karina." I said, and walked off into the night, thinking _She will have a great time at the wedding, but it will have very little to do with me ..._

Listen to me! I'm sounding like a matchmaker. This is a sad state of affairs. I need to use my seductive powers for myself, darnit! It isn't fair to be alone when there are so many happy couples around me. I **will** have fun before the wedding!

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The wedding day dawned with just a light cloud cover. I was sure that Alice had seen that it would be a nice day. The guys had started working on the gazebo at first light, and when I went out to help around 8 the house was a bit chaotic with everyone arranging flowers, fitting dresses, and finishing up the gazebo and seating outside. I helped a bit, but Alice could tell my heart wasn't in it, and she generously sent me away early. As I was leaving, Jasper walked up to me. "I got you free, Tanya. You owe me."

"What?" I asked, confused.

Jasper grinned, "I told Alice that your sadness was making it hard for me to work. So she gave you the chance to get out of here. Just be back in time to get all prettified by Alice for the wedding, OK?"

"Thanks, Jasper. You're right, I do owe you one. Thanks!" I gave Jasper a quick kiss on the cheek, and checked my watch - 9:45. I still had plenty of time to get to the gas station, have some fun with Jake, then separate so I can let Alice get me ready, and to have him meet me as my date for the wedding that evening.

When I got to the gas station, Jake was leaning against his Rabbit, eating something that looked like a candy bar, but from what I remembered, people don't eat candy in the morning.

Jacob caught sight of me and smiled broadly. "Hi Tanya!"

"Hey Jake!" I replied, kissing his cheek. "I thought people didn't eat candy in the morning?"

"Um, well, ..." he blushed a bit, "I was hungry, 'cos it's been a couple hours since breakfast. They don't have much at the gas station, so I grabbed a couple Snickers bars. I figure those have peanuts, so it's almost like having a peanut butter sandwich." He grinned sheepishly at the rationalization.

"Does it make your kisses sweeter?" I asked, teasing him.

"You'll have to try and find out. But let's go somewhere else first. We can go down to the beach, it's not too gloomy out."

I got into the Rabbit, and Jake drove quickly to a stretch of beach nearby. I was guessing this was a beach that I could go on without violating the treaty. It was fun to drive with someone who wasn't a vampire - you do see more of the scenery that way. Forks is very **green**, so there actually is pretty scenery.

Jake pulled up to a deserted stretch of beach that was hidden down a dirt road that looked as if no one had travelled down it recently. He grabbed a blanket, a couple of towels, and a bag of food from the trunk, then we moseyed down to the beach.

"This is gorgeous!" I said, laying on the blanket, my head leaning against his warm body. The clouds and waves moved gently around us.

"Gorgeous is right." Jake agreed, and turned to kiss me. _Mmmm that's lovely!_ I thought, kissing him back.

After we had been kissing for a bit, Jake looked a little flustered, and he jumped up. "I'm feeling hot - want to join me for a swim?" He pulled off his shirt and then his shorts to reveal a pair of boxers underneath, and grabbed my hand to run into the water.

"Hey! I don't want to go in with all **my** clothes on!" I protested, and took off my shirt and shorts. I thought Jake's eyes would bulge out looking at my red lace bra and underwear, but I raced past him and into the water.

We had a great time splashing and dunking each other, with some added fun of kissing when we had come up for air. "Bet you can't catch me!" I teased, starting to run away in the water. Just as I had hoped, Jake grabbed me before I could run off.

"You can't get away from me!" He laughed, pulling me close. He turned me around in his arms, still holding me tightly to him. This time our kisses weren't as playful, and I could tell that I wasn't the only one getting excited.

Jake pulled me back to the blanket, "Why don't you let me warm you up and dry you off?" He offered, holding me tightly with one arm, and grabbing a towel with the other one.

-------

After our lovely interlude at the beach, I needed to extricate myself from Jake's embrace to return to the Cullen's house to get ready for the wedding. Before I left, I wanted to make sure he would be my date that night, "You won't stand me up, right?"

"Of course not, sweetheart. I look forward to going to the wedding with you on my arm." Jake smiled lazily, and kissed me again.

"I promised Alice she could help me get ready, so I should go now." I grinned at him seductively, "but I'll be waiting for you this evening. Look for the lady in red."

I pulled on my clothes, kissed Jake goodbye, then ran away from the beach, and towards the wedding.

--------------

**A/N: **_OK, that chapter turned out much longer than I was expecting. So the wedding won't be until the following chapter, sorry! I'd love to get chapter 9 up right away, but I have to see a new neurologist, and that is going to suck up the rest of my day._

_Thanks for reading, and please review!_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**A/N:** _I realize that some of the characters in this story might be OOC. I explain part of the Jake/Tanya interaction here. In general, I'm doing my best with the characters, but I just want to have fun with them. :)_

**Disclaimer: **_ I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created._

_-------_

It was hard to leave Jake at the end of the afternoon - much harder than I was expecting. I used to leave men quickly and easily after "encouraging" them to have fun with me. The afternoon felt different, and while I know a werewolf and a vampire could never find true love together, and the succubus side of me was aching for more. I've always enjoyed the chase - bedazzling someone unexpected _(like a vampire-hating werewolf)_ and then being the first to teach him about _ahem_ pleasure.

The day with Jake reminded me of some of my earlier days, when I was more carefree and less concerned with finding a partner for the rest of eternity. Seeing so many happy couples can really suck the fun out of your life. Going to Edward and Bella's wedding that night was not exactly what the doctor ordered. At least I could make a bit of a splash with my date.

It took forever for Alice to get everyone ready. I thought just showering to get the sand and salt water out of my hair would be enough, but Alice wanted me primped up and dressed to the nines. Thankfully, she approved of my red dress and strappy red heels. I had to wait for a while, twiddling my thumbs, while Alice got Bella ready. Apparently she trusted everyone **except** Bella and I to primp themselves. I guess Bella and I have some things in common besides which men we fancy ...

**Finally**, it was time to get everyone ready and seated for the wedding. Kate and Irina both timed their decent down the staircases so Tim could focus only on Kate, and Chuck on Irina. I marveled at their machinations, it had been fun watching them play human for the wedding with these pretty young men. I think between the chaos of wedding planning, Bella's human family, and the bedazzlement skills of Kate and Irina, Tim and Chuck were still blissfully ignorant of vampires.

I enjoyed watching the wedding party and guests arrive and get seated. Alice and Rosalie were both in stunning dresses that were likely made for them - Rosalie's dress accented her beauty, height, and her pale hair, while Alice's played upon her pixie haircut and size, while still displaying her beauty in the ethereal fabrics. Jasper and Emmett were almost edible in their tuxes. I needed to work hard to keep my responses in check - my default status is seductive, and I didn't want to ruin any friendships because of my now-instinctive responses to these gorgeous men.

It helped to see Bella's family and friends. They were all attractive, but human, people. The air felt happy, as if everyone was overjoyed to see Bella and Edward marry. I had overheard parts of Carmen's many conversations with Esme, so I knew that there was some tension between Bella and her mother and father about marrying young, so I guessed that Jasper was trying to help the wedding proceed smoothly. Alice would be crushed if something happened.

Everyone was milling around trying to make small talk, waiting for their cues to sit down when Jacob arrived. I walked over to him, and saw his eyes open wide. I knew I looked good, and I loved the swirling of the wine-colored dress across my calves, and the breezes that slid through the high slit.

"Wow, Tanya, you look lovely!" Jake greeted me, bending over and kissing my cheek.

"You clean up pretty well yourself," I said, straightening his lapels, and tilting my head up to kiss him on the lips. It was so easy to continue my bedazzlement of Jacob, it was so instinctive to release the pheremones, breathe out my sweetened breath, and make eye contact with a slightly mesmerizing gaze. I had tried to shut down my bedazzlement before - especially when working, but it was still so instinctive (what isn't after 1,000 years of practice?) that I almost always bedazzled men long before I realized what I was doing. It wasn't until I thought hard about why Jacob had come with me so easily that I realized I had bedazzled him. _It was worth it! I feel a little guilty, _I thought_, but he certainly enjoyed himself, and there will be a lovely surprise for him later. Besides, you __**need**__ a good date for your crush's wedding!_

"I think a few of your friends are surprised to see us together," Jacob whispered into my ear.

"I think the women are just jealous that they don't have such a handsome man on their arm," I replied, and guided him to a seat in one of the back rows of chairs.

"Given the amount of whispering and stares, there might just be something besides that"

"Perhaps. Maybe the men are jealous of who is on your arm?" I smirked.

"How can you keep this light, Tanya? I'm ready to leap at them," Jake replied in an undertone that rumbled with a low growl.

"Ignore them. Oh, listen - the wedding music is starting. Our job is to sit here and look beautiful together, so hold my hand and smile." I gave him one last quick kiss, then turned my attention to the wedding.

The wedding was beautiful. It was incredibly obvious that Edward and Bella were completely in love. The emotions I was feeling were filled with such joy and love, it was almost suffocating in its intensity. I was very glad that I had not pushed through with my idea to "help" Edward ... with a love like this, they wouldn't need help.

Jacob's face looked a little pained, but I tried to remember the surprise I had in store for him after the wedding, and when I touched him after that, he was radiating joy. Jacob's hot hand encircled my cool one, and the opposing temperatures gave us both comfort. It wasn't easy to sit through the wedding, but it made it easier for **me** to accept Edward and Bella's marriage to be there. I think it helped Jake, too. He seemed to relax a bit when Bella's happiness and contentment with Edward shone through.

When the bride and groom kissed, and the ceremony was over, Jake said, "Lets go into the forest - I need some air."

"Of course," I smiled, "But then we need to get back - if we miss the food at the reception, it won't look good."

I saw a real smile spread across Jake's face, "Don't worry - if there's one thing I won't skip today, it'll be the food! All that food, with so few humans to eat it - I'll help out so there will be enough eaten that no one will get suspicious." His eyes twinkled, but he still led me away from the guests and into the edge of the woods.

Jacob took some deep breaths, and I kissed him a few times to help him calm down. When he was feeling more in control, we went out to the reception. Jake kept my hand in his, but when we got to the buffet, he let go so he could fill his plate. I told him that I was going to sit down, and I walked over to a table with Kate, Tim, Irina, and Chuck.

I sat back and watched Jake fill his plate, waiting impatiently for what I knew would happen next.

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**A/N:** _Sorry this took a few days to update - we just got a new-to-us dog, and it took a while to get him settled in! He's so cute and cuddly and cozy! awwww... I think his fur is as soft as werewolf fur, I want to just snuggle into it all day._

_Thanks for reading! Please review!_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**A/N:** _I realize that some of the characters in this story might be OOC. In general, I'm doing my best with the characters, but I just want to have fun with them. :)_

**Disclaimer: **_ I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created._

_-------_

It was interesting watching the interactions at the reception. I tuned out my sisters and their boyfriends so I could pay attention to what was happening around the food. The vampires were taking small plates, the humans medium sized, and Jake had a large plate. He was definitely eating enough to make up for the vampires at his table!

_It's going to happen soon. He's right there. It should be in just another minute. _ I thought, watching Jake. Chuck and Tim had walked over to the buffet also, so it was just us three girls at the table

"So, Tanya, where did you find the _dog_ you brought with you?" Irina asked, derision in her voice.

"His name's Jacob - he's been in love with Bella for years. It seemed fitting that we go together." I replied, my attention taken off Jacob for a moment.

"Oh, that is sweet!" Kate smiled, "I'm betting the bride and groom weren't expecting the two of you to arrive together! I wish I could read Bella's thoughts ... Edward's are focused on Bella."

"He is a very hot date. Yum," Irina said, smiling appreciatively. "I'm a bit jealous. Is he the reason you were gone for a while?"

"Yes. It was lovely. And for some reason his dog smell didn't bother me. Uncharted territory can be a lot of fun." I smiled, and my sisters smirked at me.

"Well, how did you end up meeting him? I can't believe Bella said, 'Hi woman with a crush on my husband, go meet the man with a crush on me'." Kate asked, and we all giggled at her idea.

"Of course not! I met him walking in the woods. I think I bedazzled him accidentally - I haven't met someone hat attractive in a while. Right after we met, he wanted to get together again soon after that. I think he was looking for some companionship." Irina raised her eyebrows when I said that, and Kate smirked at me again.

"What are you going to do with him?" Irina asked, "It's not like you can stay with a _dog_, but he looks too attached to you for it to be a one night stand."

"Don't worry, I've got my plans worked out." I said, looking up to see what was going on over at the buffet, but my attention was diverted elsewhere.

"What kind of plans, Tanya?" I heard Edward's voice asking, he and Bella were standing right behind me. "What were you thinking arriving with that _dog_?"

"I met him in the forest and spent some time with him the past couple of days. He's been lovely - he even took me to the beach. We had a lot of fun." I smiled, and I could see Edward raise his eyebrows at my use of the word "fun".

Bella looked a bit stunned. "Jacob went out with you, Tanya? He didn't complain about you being a _bloodsucker_ or a _leech_ or anything? That's odd." I couldn't quite discern Bella's feelings, but I thought there was some regret mixed in with the joy.

I smiled slowly. "I've got some talents with men, Bella. Edward may have been immune to them, but not many others can say the same."

"Oh." Bella's eyes widened. "You mean, Oh." She looked more stunned at this point. She managed to recover better than I expected, "I'm glad you were both able to come. I don't think Jake would have come without you, and it meant a lot to me for him to be there. So thank you."

"My pleasure." I answered silkily. "Congratulations to you and Edward. I'm so happy for both of you. The waves of joy and pleasure I got at the ceremony were wonderful. You're both very lucky to have found your soul mate.

"Thank you, Tanya." Edward looked very sincere. "That means a lot."

"Yes, thank you Tanya. We should move on to other tables, though. Alice said to mingle." Bella blushed, and followed Edward to the next table.

I looked up at the buffet, finding that Jake was still there, filling two plates on a tray. _He's getting a plate for me, so he can eat enough. That's smart!_ I thought, but still watched him closely.

I looked around the room carefully, but I couldn't find the person I was looking for. I knew she was there, but I hadn't been able to see her visually yet. Maybe I was just getting too distracted...

"Good Evening, Kate, Irina, Tanya. Thank you for coming to the wedding!" Carlisle said, and I had to turn my head to greet him.

"Where are your young men, dears?" Esme asked.

Kate waved her hand. "They went to go get food and drinks. We can just sit and enjoy the people-watching and the beautiful decorations rather than working through a crowd up near the food."

Esme smiled, "Very smart choice, Kate!" Her smile faded a little, "Tanya, did you know who your date was before you brought him here?"

"Yes Esme. I met him in the forest, and we hit it off pretty well." My sisters rolled their eyes at this. "He had an invitation from Edward, so I thought it was alright to bring him. We won't make a scene or anything. Neither one of us wanted to come here alone, though. So we came together."

"I think I understand now." Esme said, her face softening. "You can understand that we were surprised, of course. Bella had a very difficult time trying to decide between two men who loved her, and some of us weren't happy to see you arrive with her other choice."

I nodded. "You might want to mention that to Edward, since he sent the invitation to Jacob. I would never have invited him as my date if he didn't already have an invitation."

"Of course you wouldn't. I'm sorry I doubted you, dear. You do look lovely today - I love that dress!"

"Thanks, Esme. I'm hoping to get a chance to dance to _'Lady in Red'_ tonight." I grinned.

"We should get moving before your young men get back here and we have to eat more of the food." Carlisle shuddered, and he stepped away with Esme to mingle at the next table.

I focused on Jake again. He was done with the buffet at last, but now he was in line for a drink. _**Aha!**_I thought. _That's where she was! The bar area was so crowded, I couldn't find her. It's emptying out now, though - people are sitting down to eat. It should happen in just a minute ..._

I focused over at the bar area, and could feel the shock that was going to come soon. I felt as if I were counting down for a blastoff. _10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ..._

CRASH!!! The sound of breaking glass and plates silenced the crowd.

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**A/N: **_Thanks for reading. Please review if you have a moment!_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**Disclaimer: **_ I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created._

_-------_

The first voice I heard was Rosalie's, in full screeching mode. "Tanya! You bitch! If you hadn't brought him, nothing would have gone wrong with the wedding!"

I was shocked. Then I heard from Jasper of all people, "Bringing Jacob was stupid, Tanya. It just made everyone anxious. It didn't make you look good."

I ignored them. I had to - I just blocked them out. The after-effects of the crash were infinitely more interesting. I sat still in my seat, entranced by the spectacle unfolding at the bar. Jake had gotten to the front of the line, and was ready to order a beer when he saw Karina, our server from The Willow Tree. I could see the moment when Jacob felt the shock of Imprinting, that pull when the werewolf's center of gravity changes and pulls towards their partner. Karina's Quileute heritage was clear - I could see her shift, too. They had both dropped everything they were holding, and Karina had knocked into the bar, toppling a few more glasses.

I sniffed. No blood. The crashes sounded spectacular, but they were only a few plates, cups, and a bottle of some type of alcohol. I smiled in relief. I had known this would happen, but I wasn't sure about the blood. Somehow, I could see the broken parts inside Jacob and Karina that meant that they needed to be together in order to be whole. The spectacle of it was impressive, though. Jake and Karina started talking to each other, but he clearly couldn't help himself, and they were kissing in a few minutes. _Wow, that Imprinting stuff is powerful_, I thought.

I couldn't believe I was doing this, but I moved quickly to them (and away from Rosalie and Jasper). "You two should go talk. I'll help clean up here. Go back to La Push."

Jake looked over at me, surprised. "Are you sure, Tanya?" He wasn't the only one surprised. Anyone who knew me would be surprised by the idea of me being selfless.

"Yes. I knew that you two would hit it off when I met her at the rehearsal dinner. I'll take care of things here - I don't want anyone to get cut cleaning this up. **Go**!" I held my breath, double checking that I wasn't releasing any of the scents or cues to bedazzle.

Jake's sense of smell seemed to come back, and he wrinkled his nose at the sickly sweet smell that werewolves associate with vampires. He nodded to me, as if in thanks, and walked Karina to his car.

I started cleaning up the bar area, and noticed that my sisters were helping.

"What the heck was that?" Irina asked, stunned.

"That was a werewolf Imprinting, and another Quileute reacting. It makes them lose their center for a moment, as their center of gravity shifts toward the other person rather than to the center of the earth."

Kate's eyebrows raised. "And you were watching Jacob because you knew this would happen? You brought a date knowing that he would meet this woman, and leave without you? And what if someone had gotten cut?"

"Um, I had forgotten about the whole 'he leaves without me' part. I just knew they were going to Imprint after I talked to Karina at the Rehearsal Dinner, and I felt this weird need to help them. I could see the little puzzle piece of where they were broken, and I needed to fix it. I didn't know **how** they would meet here, just that they would. I didn't imagine such a crash - I got lucky about the blood."

"That's lovely, selfless, and altruistic," Irina said, a bit of a sneer in her tone, "but do you understand that you're now **alone** at a wedding. You should have arranged for better timing. Couldn't they have met during the cleanup? What does it say about our family that our sister got ditched at a wedding? You can't just think about yourself."

"We won't be here for long, and I tend to think more people are thinking about Edward and Bella than my datelessness. I'll be OK as the fifth wheel with you guys for the rest of the reception."

"You're assuming that we are fine with you being the fifth wheel. Hmmph. I guess we'll have to cope" Kate said, and with the area cleaned up, we returned to our seats. Kate and Irina seemed extra pleased to have their boyfriends there, and I sat down, only to be instantly cornered by Jasper and Rosalie.

"What the hell was that all about? Do you know what would have happened if someone got cut?" Rosalie asked.

"Rosalie, I knew she was Jacob's soul mate when I met her at the rehearsal dinner. I knew **something** would happen tonight, but I didn't know what. As to why I brought him, gee - maybe because the one guy I've really liked for several years is marrying a **human**. I wanted to look good, and it's a lot easier to look good with a good-looking guy on your arm. If he's a werewolf and also in love with the bride, then all the better." I paused for a breath. "I actually started to like him, he's not a bad guy. I'm glad he found someone who can make him happy."

"Tanya, you attract the wrong kind of attention bringing a werewolf to a vampire wedding." Jasper said coolly. "I was already trying to keep people calm with the mix of humans and vampires. What were you thinking inviting him as your date? That dynamic could have made things infinitely harder."

"Excuse me? Jasper, did you and Rosalie know that your **brother** invited Jacob? Something to do with being noble, I think - you have to ask him. I didn't invite him, I just agreed to sit with him and walk around with him. If you're angry that he came, talk to Edward."

I think I might have enjoyed watching their shocked faces a bit too much. "And as for the broken glassware, perhaps you should have arranged for paper plates and plastic cups if you were that worried. Having a werewolf Imprint at the wedding wasn't planned, but there were a bunch of humans in attendance who could have broken something, including one who is well known for being clumsy."

Jasper must have felt my indignation, but I hoped I could hide my grief from him. Blustering at him and Rosalie was much easier than dealing with the emotional aftermath of the day.

"I'm going to go hunt in the woods. I think I've been here long enough. I hope you enjoy the rest of the wedding weekend." I said, and took off my shoes to run towards the woods. I was surprised to see Alice at the edge of the forest.

"I couldn't see any of the reasons why you ran off in my visions, because of the werewolf involved. But here's a change of clothes so you won't ruin that beautiful gown." Alice said, handing me a duffle bag.

"Thanks Alice. I'm sorry I yelled at your husband and sister." I felt a bit guilty accepting her help after I just finished screaming at her family.

"They're just being over-protective. The stress of the wedding got to everyone. It'll all be better soon. Come back in, oh, two days and they'll apologize." Alice winked at me, and went back to the remains of the reception.

I took the duffle bag and ran deeper into the forest. I changed quickly, then ran farther, wanting to lose myself in the trees.

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**A/N: **_Thanks for reading. Please review if you have a moment!_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Disclaimer: **_ I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created._

_**A/N**__: I'm sorry I couldn't update sooner - I make and sell jewelry (link in profile), and was selling at a craft fair, so I needed to prepare for it and go. It sucks a lot of time and energy._

_-------_

Two days passed quickly in the forest as I fed and appreciated the wildlife around Forks and the La Push reservation. By the end of the two days, I felt much more at peace with myself, just as I had felt after my hiking retreat in Denali. I had spent a lot of time thinking after the excitement at the wedding, and now I thought I knew what I should do next.

I walked back to the Cullens house to find that Edward and Bella were gone on their honeymoon, and the rest of my family had returned to Denali. The Cullens were packing to move to Maine. They were readying to start over after the "tragic loss" of Edward and Bella in a plane crash on their honeymoon - the explanation for Bella's disappearance into the world of the vampires.

I knew I wasn't going back to Denali, I wanted to search for my One True Love. Witnessing Edward and Bella's wedding and Jacob's Imprinting on Karina, I knew that after one thousand years, I deserved Love, not just lust. I wasn't finding it in Denali, so I needed to go elsewhere. For a moment, I considered joining the Cullens and heading East to Maine, but then I realized that the True Love within that family - 4 couples bound for eternity - would be too much for me to handle.

Everyone was busy with their own tasks, so I managed to slip up to my room relatively unnoticed. I opened my beloved MacBook _(that's the one problem with hiking - no WiFi in the National Forests!)_, and put my trust in the almighty. I typed in "rainiest city USA", and crossed my fingers for luck. The answer in Google surprised me. I went to the Wikipedia page, and continued to be surprised. Then I went to the homepage for the town, and found that it looked like a perfect small community - a nearby forest, a large artist population, and yes - the rainiest city in the USA.

That was it. I was decided. I had lived in Alaska for many years, and had not found True Love. I had spent almost one thousand years enjoying the physical pleasures of the body rather than my emotional needs. A small artists community would be likely to accept my apparent eccentricities. With my love for my sleek black MacBook, I could easily pose as a writer, and sit in a cafe for hours on end. No one expected anything from writers, so it wouldn't be like posing as an artist - then people want to see your etchings.

I checked the flight schedules, and found a flight that had required a short layover, but arrived at the nearby airport in the evening. I also checked for local hotels, and found a lovely one, and was able to make my reservation online. It was only a few minutes after this process was completed that Alice bounced into my room.

"You did it! You're moving!" She said, clearly very excited.

"Yes. I think it was time."

"Absolutely. It will be good for you. Very, very good for you." Alice smiled widely.

"What did you see?" I asked, curious.

"Nothing all that definite ... " Alice hedged

"C'mon, girl, dish! What Did You See?"

"OK! I saw you with a guy."

"Oooh, what did he look like?" My grin suddenly matched hers. Our eyes were also both a topaz that sparkled with excitement. Our hair was completely different, though - her short black hair was in a pixie cut, while my long blond hair_ (with strawberry blond highlights!)_ was falling over my shoulders, in no particular style after 2 days in the forest.

"Black hair, not short and not long. Skin color was something like butterscotch. I couldn't see his eyes, i could see his back while you were kissing him."

My eyes grew wide. "Kissing! Then I am absolutely following through! My plane leaves tomorrow afternoon so I can get there in the evening and not worry about possible sun exposure."

"That sounds smart. Jasper and I can drive you to the airport. He needs to get used to it before we think about taking the plane to Maine. It would be nice to fly rather than drive cross-country. I've been envying the others when their cars go on the transport truck, and they jump on the plane. I never get to choose my room first, either." At the end of this, Alice pouted.

"Well, then. For the good of your marriage and your chance to pick the first room, I will happily let you and Jasper drive me to the airport. You've been so wonderful to me, I will never forget it. Thank you, Alice." I leaned over and hugged her. Alice looked surprised for a second, and then hugged me back tightly.

"I'm glad I could help. I saw you with us in Maine for a moment, before I had the vision of you kissing the man with black hair. Were you thinking of joining us?"

"Yes. I knew I didn't want to return to Denali..."

"I told your family that - which is why they didn't wait for you. They wish you all the luck in the world." Alice interrupted.

"Thanks. Anyhow, since I didn't want to stay in Denali, I thought of how your family is moving to Maine, and I considered joining you. But then I thought about the idea of staying in a home with 4 committed couples, and realized it wouldn't do a lot of r my mental health." I smiled apologetically.

"As much as I would love to spend more time with you, I think you're doing the right thing."

"Thank you, Alice. Your support is wonderful."

"Of course it is!" Alice jumped up, super-perky again. "I've got to go take Jasper hunting to prep him for the airport. I'll check in with you soon."

With that, she was gone. I had about 24 hours until my plane left, so I went downstairs, offering to help Esme.

"Oh, Tanya! Thank you for offering! Kitchens are always the hardest thing to pack. I know we won't have Bella around as a human any more, but it is nice to have the kitchen somewhat stocked so people aren't suspicious. I always like to offer tea to the other doctors' wives, for example. It's so hard to remember what humans like! It's so much easier to bring it all with us than have to re-buy everything." Esme was clearly delighted to have another person in the kitchen with her.

"You're not packing the furniture or anything, right?" I asked, thinking that even for vampires, that would be a lot of work.

"Oh, no. We'll just cover it. We have had different agencies in charge of keeping it habitable. We can't come back too frequently, especially now that Bella is with us, but it is one of our favorite homes." Esme looked wistfully around the house.

I thought I'd try to change the topic, "Where are you moving? I know Alice said Maine, but that's a reasonably large state!"

She smiled again. "Oh, yes. I love the next house, too, it's just quite different. This one is on Mount Desert Island, in North East Maine, near Acadia National Park. It's beautiful, there aren't a lot of people out there, and it's almost as cloudy and rainy as it is out here! We've got a beautiful home there that's hidden away down a dirt road. It'll be a good retreat while Bella is dealing with being a newborn, but it's close enough that Carlisle can work in a local clinic after things settle down."

As Esme and I chatted about their new life in Maine, I thought about the changes I was making in my life, and was determined to be as cheerful and optimistic as Esme. She's sad about leaving Forks, but happy to return to Mount Desert Island. I'm sad to leave Denali and my family, but it's time for something new.

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**A/N:** _Thanks for reading! Please review if you have a minute!_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Disclaimer: **_ I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created._

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Jasper drove us to the airport, with Alice practically bobbing up and down with excitement. I sat behind them, filled with that mixture of excitement and anxiety that comes with any move.

"You both need to calm down!" Jasper finally said. "Between Alice's excitement and your anxiety, Tanya, I'm feeling torn in two! Worry about it once you're on the plane. You've made the decision, so now you have the chance to explore for yourself, without anyone knowing about you or your sisters."

"And remember, I see you being very happy. I know it will take a while to get settled, but you'll be OK." Alice added.

"Thanks, both of you. Your support means so much to me. I hope you get through the move and the problems with talking to Bella's parents OK."

"It will all end up OK. Just like everything will be OK for you. Watch out on the layover, though - LAX is a sunny airport, and there aren't a lot of clouds there today. Don't forget to cover up!" Alice said. And when Alice talked, you listened.

"Thanks yet again, Alice. I've got a hat and scarf in my carry-on. They help cushion the MacBook anyhow. I wear long skirts when I'm traveling for comfort and because they cover my legs in case of sunshine. I'm so anxious about moving away, it's a relief to know that it will be OK. You're wonderful, Alice!"

Alice just smiled happily, and Jasper held her hand. We arrived at the airport in Seattle quickly, and we said our goodbyes as I left the car to go check luggage and get my boarding pass. "Give my love to everyone! I hope you have a wonderful time in Maine!" I said, as I waved goodbye and the car pulled away.

_Thank goodness for First Class!_ I thought, as I looked at the snake-like line I got to avoid. I got my tickets, and checked my bag. Sadly, First Class doesn't let you escape the lines for security. Eventually I got through that and to the plane. It was a short jump down to LA, and I was glad Alice had mentioned the sunlight at LAX so I could be prepared with my scarves.

My layover felt far too long - it's funny how when you are excited to go somewhere new, the time feels like it's dragging, but when you don't want to leave, time passes so quickly. I used the layover to try to research my new town online. I was surprised that my search for "rainiest city" turned out to be a town named Hilo on the big island of Hawaii. It's an artist community, and not as touristy as the other side of the island. As a bonus, there are a couple state parks in the area. I had worked hard to find a hotel that wasn't a BnB - I wanted to be able to come and go as I pleased until I could find a small home.

Finally, the plane was ready for boarding. I enjoyed the looks of envy from the other passengers as I got on. I love first class. I leaned back in my seat and relaxed, thinking over the ups and downs of the past few weeks. I really did need to get away from everything and everyone. Moving from Alaska to Hawaii was a big change, and one that I hoped would work out.

Eventually, the plane landed, and I was grateful it was an evening arrival - I could see the moon and stars clearly, so it had been a sunny day. I had contacted the local Toyota dealer, and there was a Toyota employee standing near baggage claim. I started walking towards him, and he took my bag from me.

"Hello, ma'am. You must be Tanya."

I startled. "Yes, how did you know that?"

The man smiled, "No one in Hawaii has skin as pale as yours! I'm Mano, your Toyota salesman."

I smiled at that. "Hello Mano. You're probably right. I'm hoping to start over here, but I'll probably stand out with skin this pale - and it doesn't tan."

"Where are you moving to on the island?"

"Hilo," I replied.

"Nice area. There's a lot of different people who live there - a lot of Hawaiian artists, but also quite a few people from other places too. You won't stand out as much in Hilo as you would in a lot of other places. Besides," and here he smiled, "Hilo gets so much rain, they aren't as dark as the folks on this side of the island!"

"Just in case it gets sunny, I've got the extra tinting on the Prius, right?"

"Yes, ma'am. And it's gold, too, as you requested."

"Thank you. Let's go see it!" I was excited to see my new car - there's something special about brand new cars that makes me giddy. I buy cars far too much just to enjoy that sensation.

"Here it is!" Mano said, bringing me to the beautiful new car.

"Ooooh, it's gorgeous! Thank you so much for bringing it to me. I'm assuming I have dozens of forms to sign before I can grab the keys and begone?"

"I'm sorry, but yes." Mano replied, and we did the tons of paperwork. I was impatient, but I knew that I had plenty of time to explore the island and the wildlife. It was just so hard to have to go through so much paperwork before starting a new life!

When all the paperwork was finally done, I tipped Mano generously, and took off in the direction my maps pointed. Soon I was driving through the beauty of Hawaii, and I was so sad I had not come here sooner. I had a feeling fate had brought me here at the right time, but it was still hard to imagine that I had spent my whole life - my really **long** life without experiencing this joy.

Once I reached Hilo, I parked at the hotel and checked in. I was worn out by the excitement of the day and the joy of the Hawaiian landscape, plus the knowledge that I was starting my life over again. I opened my MacBook, and looked at some local real estate websites. Nothing jumped out at me, but I would get to explore in person tomorrow - the local forecast was calling for overcast skies.

I hadn't realized how much I enjoyed having my family together until I spent a night away from them. I was excited for my new life, but it was hard to have all these hours to fill at night alone. I managed to do more research about Hilo as well as send emails to my family making sure they knew I was OK, and where I was. Alice had promised to let me tell them, which was nice of her. I needed to send thank-you emails to all of the Cullens for hosting me, and especially to Alice and Jasper for all of their help and friendship.

I finally became too edgy to stay at the hotel around 5 am - I figured lots of people went for early morning walks or runs, right? I got changed, and went out to look around. I was so excited to get the feel for the town that would be my new home!

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**A/N:** _Thanks for reading! Please review if you have a minute!_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Disclaimer: **_** I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created.**_

_**A/N: **__Sorry this was delayed - a combination of chronic illness, a head cold, specialists, and Halloween prep has taken over my life. I wish I could escape into a story!_

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Walking along the sidewalks of Hilo in the pre-dawn hours, I did find several people jogging past me, and a few artists setting up their easels so they could paint the first rays of sun touching a tree or a beach. Looking in the galleries, I was glad I had decided to pretend to be a writer rather than a painter or sculptor - the talent here was impressive.

I walked down to one of the local beaches, and found that it was a rocky beach rather than a sandy beach - probably to keep it a local beach rather than a tourist beach! I know that many areas added sand to rocky beaches to attract tourists. Rocky beaches had always been my favorite - they seemed more honest. I sat on the beach, watching the tide come in, and felt incredibly peaceful. I decided then and there that I needed to find a small house near the beach, away from other homes if at all possible, but I needed the peaceful sound of the ocean to keep me company at night.

Dawn had broken, though the overcast sky would not have pleased the painters, and I could see more people out and about. The cultural mix within Hilo was really interesting mix of races - there was truly a rainbow of sin tones. Some of the people had skin that was just a bit darker than mine, some with almost black skin, and every shade in between. My heart lurched a bit when I saw a few faces with the russet skin tone like Jacob, but then I remembered that Karina was the woman he imprinted on, and they would be very happy together.

_Well! _ I thought_, I'm not going to find anyone if I just sit here on the beach people watching! I should go look around at the main drag again in the daytime, maybe stop for a coffee, and then find the local Realtor and find a house near the ocean. I wonder if paying cash for a house here draws suspicion? I could say I had just inherited money, and my grandmother said to invest in real estate... That could work. This doesn't seem like a town where you could be showy about being wealthy and make any friends._

With those thoughts, I walked away from the peaceful beach, and over towards the main street. More people were out and about now - the day was still overcast, but unlike in Washington and Alaska, it didn't seem dark - almost like a light layer of clouds. Enough so I wouldn't sparkle, but not so much that it gave you the feeling of never-ending gloom.

I found a coffee shop, and went in.

"Hello, welcome to Hilo Coffee, can I help you?" the woman behind the counter asked. She was pretty, with dark hair and blue eyes that really stood out against her dark hair and tanned skin

"Yes, thank you. I'd just like a large latte, please." I replied. I'm hoping I won't have to drink much, but I want to spend enough money so they don't kick me out for taking up a table.

"Anything else?"

"Oh, I just saw those chocolate biscotti, I'd love 2 of those, too." Biscotti are very easy to tuck away - they aren't as obvious if you don't eat them the way, say, cinnamon rolls are.

"That will be $4.75," the cashier said, totaling up my purchases.

"Here you go." I gave her a $10 bill, and then asked. "Do you have wifi here? I'm moving here and wanted to check out the real estate listings and more about the area."

The woman gave me my change, and I quickly put a couple dollars in the tip jar. She smiled, "Of course we have wifi. No charge for that. We do ask if you are going to be here for a while that you buy things every so often, and if we get busy we might ask you to go to the library. But summer isn't a peak time for us, so I wouldn't worry." She looked around, and since there was no one else in line, she continued. "My name is Malia."

"Hi Malia," I smiled, "My name is Tanya."

"It's lovely to meet you, Tanya. Welcome to Hilo! There's a large mix of people here, so I hope you can feel comfortable here. Are you an artist?"

"Not really, I'm a writer."

"Aaaah, now I understand the wifi question! If you keep tipping and buying biscotti and coffee every few hours, you'll be all set to stay here." She smiled. "Do you have a Realtor already?"

"No, I decided to move here almost as a spur of the moment thing. I had decided to move, and sold my house before I quite decided where to go! So I researched a bit and decided to move here!"

Malia's blue eyes widened as she listened to me. "You're so brave! I can't imagine moving like that! Well, one of my friends is a Realtor, and she's great at finding just the right place - whether it's a rental like mine, or a place to buy. I met her when I was moving out of my parents' house, and we became friends. Her name is Alani, and she is lovely. Her office is only a couple doors down, too. So you won't have to find a new parking place!"

"I couldn't sleep last night," I said, and that part was true. "So I left my hotel early and went for a walk on the beach. It was so peaceful. So actually, I'm on foot. It's even better that her office is just a couple doors down!"

A few people walked into the shop. "I'll let you go now," Malia said, "Enjoy your coffee and biscotti!"

"Thank you so much!" I replied, and went to sit down in one of the corners. I set my coffee and biscotti on one side, and my sleek black MacBook on the other side. I continued my research on Hilo and the surrounding areas. Alaska is beautiful in the summer - the whole country seems to bloom, although there are still ice caps on the mountains. In the winter, it is just so cold and snowy that the beauty of the snow can be overlooked. The beauty of the Hawaiian nature was overwhelming - everything flowered, and there were people of varying skin tones everywhere enjoying the bounty nature had provided.

I hid one of the biscotti in my bag, and pretended to sip at my latte. I checked the MLS listings for the area. There were a few oceanfront homes, but none of them looked like quite what I wanted. I knew that Hilo was a smallish town, but people had to move in and out of it occasionally! Maybe the Realtor would have some new listings.

I wrote an email to Carmen and Eleazar about my trip here, and asked them to share it with Kate and Irina. I knew my sisters would be mildly curious about where I was, but they wouldn't really want their own letters until I became involved with someone. After waiting this long, I was starting to doubt it would happen. Ah well. I'll walk over to the Realtor's office, and see what happened next.

I saw the local real estate office when I turned out of the coffee shop. I was glad Malia had pointed me to them, as they were one of the true local offices - I could see offices that were nationwide around, but I wanted to support the local economy. I walked in, and saw three Realtors chatting together. One blonde woman got up to ask me, "Hi, may I help you?"

I didn't think that Malia's friend was blonde, but it was possible. "Hi, my name is Tanya. I'm just moving here, and someone I just met suggested I come here and talk to Alani. Are you Alani?"

"No," the blonde answered, my name is Jennifer. This is Alani."

One of the darker-haired women with Hawaiian features stood up. "Hello, I'm Alani. It's nice to meet you, Tanya."

"Thank you. I was looking at houses on my laptop, but I couldn't find quite what I was looking for. I was hoping you could help me out."

"Of course! There are always some listings that aren't up on the internet yet. Why don't you tell me what you're looking for?"

I almost laughed and told her "tall, dark, and handsome", but figured that I should be somewhat professional. "I'm a writer, and so I'd like something out-of-the way, like on a cul-de-sac, and without the neighbors right on top of me. However, I'd really like it to have a deck with an ocean view. If at all possible, I'd like it to have beach access, too."

Alani laughed, "It does sound like the perfect house! You're looking for quiet, somewhat secluded - maybe with trees or bushes instead of fencing?" I nodded, and she continued. "With decks and ocean view, plus beach access. I think I can find you something perfect, but I need to know what size you are looking for and what is your price range?"

Eek. Price range. I hadn't thought about that. I really didn't want to look like someone who had a ton of money, but on the other hand, I knew my documentation wouldn't survive a credit check. I tried to think quickly.

"I got an advance on a book and an inheritance at the same time, so I'm not worried right now about a price - I talked to my extended family and they all agreed that I should buy a house, and then the writing can support me for bills, but at least I won't have rent or a mortgage. As for size, I'm fine with a 1 or 2 bedroom, but my extended family will visit occasionally, so if there's a larger house, I could deal with that."

Alani smiled, broadly. "I just got a listing the other day that would be perfect for you! We were actually just over there trying to figure out the best way to market it."

"What do you mean? Why would it be hard to market something with all of those benefits?" I must have looked baffled.

The pretty young woman smiled again. "Well, it's more expensive than what single people or new couples are looking for, and a bit too small right now for a family. It's a split level, but the lower level is closed off and not completely finished. It would be easy to have a contractor in to finish it, especially since it wouldn't affect what you are doing. You know what? Let me take you over there. It won't be a perfect view of Hilo Bay because of the clouds, but you can get the idea."

We got into her car, which I was happy to see was another hybrid - a Ford Escape. "I just picked up my new Prius yesterday. I said. I love hybrids!"

"Oh, me too. You'll notice that hybrids and green housing are very popular here. Hawaii would be incredibly affected by an increase in global warming, since we are all islands. There are quite a few houses that are off the grid around here, run solely on solar power and recaptured rain water that has been filtered."

"Oh, that sounds wonderful! Not quite what I'm looking for right now, though! I just need a house that can be quiet while I write."

"I understand. Oh, here we are." Alani opened the car doors, and I stepped out to see the house.

At first glance, it looked a bit like a concrete block, but with two layers frosted glass cubes across much of the wall. The glass cubes brought in light without having windows on the side of the house that faced the carport and the street. It looked like someone had started growing plants to cover the wall, but they hadn't grown enough yet. I'd probably need to get a trellis and some clematis or local plants...

I shook my head to focus on the rest of the house, Alani was leading me to the door. The door itself was beautiful, with an oval window set with stained glass, so the sunshine came in the window but kept the inside private. It was perfect for me! I looked around, and noticed that there were palm trees, vines, and shrubbery around what looked like the property line, obscuring the house from nosy neighbors. The house was also set back a fair bit from the street. Some more planting on that side near the street-line wouldn't be a bad idea.

When I stood at the front door, I saw that if I looked at the front door, I could also see a deck right in front of me, that appeared to wrap around 2/3 of the house. However, the deck was fenced, and unless you jumped the fence, you needed to go into the house to get onto the deck. The other windows on the door side of the house were frosted glass cubes, letting in a lot of light, but still respecting privacy.

We entered the house, and I was impressed with the generous size - it felt bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside. On my right was a small kitchen and a large great room, which faced the ocean and the deck. These windows were not designed for privacy, instead they were large windows that let in light and the beautiful view

"Wow, this is gorgeous!" I finally managed to say.

"Yes, isn't it? The kitchen's a little small, but there are all the modern amenities. The great room has a couple ceiling fans to keep you cool, and most of the windows against the ocean-facing wall are really french doors, so you can open them for a wonderful breeze. The view of Hilo bay is amazing, though." Alani said, sneaking some realtor speak in amongst the comments.

"This is so inspiring! Oh, I'd love to write here! I'm not much of a cook, so I'm not worried about the small kitchen. I'd like to look at the bedrooms, though." Not much of a cook was an understatement, but you never knew - I should keep the kitchen stocked just in case I had a human over.

"Of course!" Alani led me over to the Master Bedroom. "This is the Master Bedroom, and it has a bathroom en suite. It has light from the frosted glass cubes that face the side and back of the house, as well as from the border of glass cubes at the top of the wall facing the great room. There's a ceiling fan in here, of course, and it has a very comfortable feel."

"It is lovely. I adore the glass cubes! What a smart idea for bringing in natural light without sacrificing privacy." I walked into the bathroom and found a walk-in shower and a medium-sized jacuzzi tub. This room also had the glass cubes for light and privacy

"Let me show you the second bedroom, it might make a good library and office for you." Alani said, and we walked back through the beautiful great room to the second bedroom. This one was slightly smaller, and didn't have the en-suite bathroom, but the frosted and unfrosted light cubes lit it gently as the ceiling fan circulated the air.

"You're right - this would be perfect for that! Some of my older books shouldn't be exposed to direct sunlight, and this would be perfect for them! Plus, on days when the ocean view is distracting rather than inspiring, I can hide out in here!" I smiled, clearly loving this house already.

"Let me show you the second bathroom, the deck, and the lower level. I love your enthusiasm, I hope it continues!" Alani said, and she sounded like a friend, not someone who was trying to sell me something.

"Sounds good. I think I love the house already, though!" And after looking at the generously sized second bathroom, we stepped out onto the deck. It was beautiful, out on a cliff overlooking Hilo Bay, with a small beach below. I could see the stairs down to the beach, and was grateful I was a vampire, as those looked a bit steep!

"I hope you're somewhat athletic," Alani said. "Those steps can be steep, especially coming up from a day at the beach!"

"Oh, yes. I love hiking. I'm looking forward to exploring the rainforests, parks and the Wildlife Refuge, too. I actually arrived here after spending a couple days hiking in Washington State. I think those steps would be hard for anyone with kids, but I should be OK. The view is stunning! I don't think I've ever seen an ocean view like this!" I decided no to mention that I'd be hunting some of the local wildlife when i was in the forests, but at least Alani knew I wasn't a sedentary writer.

"I love hiking, too! I bet you came to me because of Malia at the coffee shop, right?" She paused as I nodded. "She and I go hiking pretty regularly, we'd love to have you join us!"

"That sounds wonderful." I replied, and it did. It felt nice to meet **humans** whose blood wasn't appealing to me, but who liked me for who I was, not because I was releasing special pheromones.

"I'm so glad you'd like to join us! We have to wait for a day that Malia and I both have off, but it's worth the wait. You don't need your hiking skills to see the downstairs, though!" Alani said with a smile, and showed me the door that opened onto a stairwell going to the lower level. "There are more windows down here, and the french doors open onto the landscaping, which leads you directly to the steps going down to the beach. There are stairs off the upstairs deck that lead you there, too. You can see that this area hasn't been completely finished - it's water-tight and has the french doors and windows, but there's still a lot you can do with it - either a rec room, some guest bedrooms, or whatever you want."

"This is a great space. Just having it painted and a floor put down would help a lot, " I thought out loud. Some partitions, fold-out couches, and a TV would make it into a rec room that could double as guest rooms..."

"So I take it you like it?" Alani asked, gently interrupting my rambling.

"Yes, I love it. And I see why it would be hard to sell. It's perfect for me, but it wouldn't be perfect for everyone." I said, wandering back upstairs to go out on the wrap-around deck.

"Do you want to think about the house some more, see other houses, or do you want to make an offer on this one?" Alani asked, watching me as I stared off into the ocean.

"Lets go make an offer!" I said, my smile lighting up my face.

The next few days were the hurry up and wait type of days. The seller accepted the offer, we arranged for a closing ASAP, I took a puddle jumper over to Honolulu and picked up some furniture, which they were happy to ship to me for a price. I found some local furniture, too, and then dealt with hooking up internet, phone, electricity, etcetera at my new home once I had signed on the dotted line!

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**A/N:** _Thanks for reading! Please review if you have a minute!_

_This story is not yet done. I know this is a really long chapter, but I had to get Tanya settled before she could continue her quest for her mate._


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Disclaimer: **_** I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created.**_

_**A/N:**__ I obviously do __**way**__ too much research, hence all the house details in the last chapter - I combined about 3 houses, and spent far too much time learning about Hilo. I'm sure I got stuff wrong, but no one wants to spring for a plane ticket so I can check it out... ;)_

_I do live near the ocean (it's about a 5 minute walk), but I'm on the Atlantic, and on a peninsula rather than an island._

_You might also notice that I put way more detail into the house than clothes. Sorry, I'm showing where my interests lie. Clothes are for covering bodies, that's about it._

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The first day i was able to sit in my wicker chair on my beautiful deck, listening to the waves lap at the beach below me and crash into the rocks nearby, I couldn't have been happier. My wireless internet was now working as well, so I could sit on my deck with my laptop, even! It was wonderful. I took some pictures, and sent them to my family in Alaska, figuring they'd be jealous.

I had settled into the town pretty well. I was expected to be a bit unusual - I was pale and a writer. I tended to bring my MacBook with me everywhere, as having it open gave me carte blanche to people watch without them noticing- everyone assumed I was writing. I did start writing a story, just as something to do.

Hunting in the local forests was difficult - the game was much smaller, and there were a lot of people nearby. Even with those restrictions, I was loving my new life.

A few weeks after the move, one of the local galleries had an opening - a new show by a local painter. I hadn't heard of him, but it was an evening opening after a few days of sun in a row, I was excited to go. Yes, Hilo has a lot of rain, but it also has a fair amount of sun. I've mentioned to my favorite coffee-lady Malia that I get migraines from sunlight that isn't filtered through clouds. It also came up when I was dealing with the closing - we had several wonderful overcast days, and then one of bright sun, so I had to tell my realtor Alani, too. Both of them were really sweet about it, and are trying to show me some of the local night life. When there **is** local night life!

The gallery show was at 8, so I met Malia and Alani at 7 at one of the local restaurant/bar combos. We ordered some appetizers and drinks - it's amazing how people don't notice if you're eating, as long as there's enough of the appetizers for them!

"I'm glad we finally have something like a nightlife, Tanya!" Alani was saying. "I was enjoying the sun, but felt so sad for you that you had a few days where you couldn't go out."

"I know, I was starting to get cabin fever! This didn't happen as often in Alaska!" I replied.

"But shows like this don't happen in Alaska, either, honey!" Malia said. Alani nodded.

"What do you mean? What's so special about this show? Other than the part where I get out of my house again?"

"You have a beautiful house!" Alani said, almost offended, since she's the one who sold me the house.

"Yes, yes, it's beautiful. I love it. I just feel like I love it more when I leave for a bit and then come back." I said, hoping that made some sense. Being around humans so much was getting me all confused. There were so many different rules!

"Alani's just giving you a hard time, honey. This show is special because Kiele is the artist. PLUS, he's going to be at the gallery opening tonight!" Malia was fanning herself.

"Really?!" shrieked Alani. "I thought it would just be his work with little pictures of him everywhere. I was going for those postcards with pictures of his art on one side and him on the other..."

I couldn't help laughing. "You're going to a gallery opening because the artist is hot?"

"Is there a better reason for going?" Alani asked.

"Well, most people go because they like the art." I replied mildly.

"I can't afford the art, but I can look at the artist. Trust me, Tanya. As soon as you see the artist, you won't care so much about going to see the art. I promise." Malia said. I decided to trust her, or at least placate her so we could go to the gallery.

I had my doubts, but I went along with my friends, and we walked down to the gallery together. It was just a few minutes after 8, but the gallery was already crowded. The three of us were separated quickly in the tide of people. I started looking at the art. I knew that my friends had only brought me here because of the alleged hotness of the artist, but the art was beautiful.

I stood in front of a seascape that was so much more than an ordinary landscape. It was stunning. There was something special about it that I couldn't put my finger on. That "something special" was also so evident in the next painting I looked at, of a bird in a rainforest. As I walked along the walls, I was becoming more and more fascinated by the work of this artist, but more and more annoyed with myself. What was it that was so unique about this work?

I was looking at a painting of Hilo bay, and it looked very similar to the view out my window on a sunny day. It was stunning. I was going to have to buy it, the shimmer in the water was something I had never seen captured by another artist. As I was engrossed in the painting, I didn't hear someone approach me until I heard, "Do you like this one?"

"Yes, it's wonderful. They're all amazing, but this one is especially fascinating." I replied.

"I go to a lot of gallery shows, but I haven't seen you before, are you visiting?"

"No, I just moved here a month ago." I turned toward the man who was speaking, and my breath caught. Yes, I didn't need to breathe, but it was a good thing. Wow was this guy handsome! Very dark hair with equally dark eyes. A face that showed the cheekbones and gentle curves of Hawaiian heritage. A sleek body, almost a swimmer's body. It was his skin tone that totally threw me, though. His skin tone was like the color of very weak tea. Other people with his features had a much darker skin tone. It suited him, though - he was stunning.

"Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm glad you like the painting."

"Thank you. I think I'm going to have to buy this one, it looks just like the view out my window on a sunny day."

"Really?"

"Yes, and it is one of the best depictions of a seascape I have ever seen. This artist is incredibly talented!"

"Thank you!"

"Wh-wh-what?!" I stuttered. Now I understood what Alani and Malia meant by the artist being hot. This man was way beyond hot."

He put out his hand. "Hi, my name is Kiele, and I'm the artist. It's so nice to have an opinion on my work without the person knowing who I am! It's become far too rare."

"I'm Tanya," I said, and shook his hand. "Wait..."

"I think we should talk." Kiele said, and pulled me into the Gallery office.

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**A/N:** _Thanks for reading! Reviews make me really happy!_


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